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Committee backs recommendation to adopt TeachTown for low‑incidence classrooms
Summary
District staff recommended adopting TeachTown, a combined physical-and-digital reading and math program for life‑skills and autistic‑support classrooms, at a projected three‑year cost of $71,272.29; vendor training will be front‑loaded and the item is slated for board approval after community review.
The Unionville‑Chadds Ford Curriculum, Instruction & Technology Committee on June 9 heard a staff recommendation to adopt TeachTown, a blended (physical and digital) instructional program for the district’s low‑incidence classrooms, including life‑skills and autistic‑support settings. Staff said the tool is differentiated to individual IEP goals and supports whole‑group, small‑group and independent instruction.
Why it matters: staff told the committee TeachTown is intended to create continuity in reading and math instruction across grades K–12 for students with more significant special‑education needs. They said teachers piloted several options this year and recommended TeachTown as the best fit for the population served.
“The 3 year cost of the program is $71,272.29,” the presenting staff member said, adding the amount includes one‑time purchases of physical materials and digital licenses needed to track student progress. The presenter said the district already owns many materials and that the recommendation would be available for public review before being placed for approval at an upcoming regular board meeting in August.
Board member Miss Talbert pressed for specifics about the vendor training line in the agreement, noting a 'tier 4' training package she read as nearly $10,000. She asked whether the contract clearly details what the district will receive for that amount: “It’s nearly, it’s nearly $10,000. I’m wondering if it must be somewhere else documented what we get for that,” Miss Talbert said.
Staff replied that the training scope is included in the contract documents and offered to add clearer language to the board packet before approval. They said training would be front‑loaded in the first year and that teacher leaders would serve as long‑term mentors, with the district able to contract for additional services later if needed.
No formal vote was taken in the committee. The recommendation will be posted for community review and is scheduled for the district’s August regular board meeting, when the board may approve or modify the contract.
What to watch next: the board packet for the August meeting and the vendor scope of work, which staff said they will include to clarify exactly what training and coaching are purchased under the $71,272.29 three‑year total.
