District pilots new NGSS-aligned science materials for K–12; public review planned

District instructional leaders told the board they are piloting a narrowed set of high-quality, NGSS-aligned science curriculum options at K–12 and will offer public review of recommended materials after teacher pilots conclude in April.

The district’s science leadership team said the adoption uses an “ambitious science teaching” framework that emphasizes phenomenon-driven lessons, student discourse and evidence-based explanation. Pilot teams include 24 elementary teachers, multiple middle-school teachers covering both buildings, and five high-school teachers across Newberg High School and Catalyst.

Options being piloted: For K–5 the team is piloting McGraw Hill Inspire and Discovery Education (which incorporates Mystery Science); for grades 6–8 the team examined newer curricula (including an Australian program recently added to some Oregon adoption lists) and STEMscopes; at the high school level McGraw Hill and Savvas were the recommended choices under review. Teachers noted that publisher materials will likely require local instructional design to meet the district’s expectations for hands-on engagement and to manage classroom behavior in lab settings.

Next steps: Pilots run through April with teacher and student feedback collected; the team will finalize recommendations, post materials for public review, and—if adopted—purchase materials in July so training can begin before the fall semester.

Attribution: Presentation and pilot details were provided by district instructional leaders during the meeting; Superintendent Parker and curriculum staff contextualized the adoption against ongoing budget pressures.