Huron Valley Schools committee recommends Amplify CKLA for K–5 literacy after two‑year pilot

The Huron Valley Schools Board heard a detailed recommendation to adopt Amplify CKLA as the district’s K–5 English Language Arts curriculum after a two‑year evaluation and a large pilot, curriculum staff said.

Martin Lindbergh, the district’s curriculum director, and Debbie Tallon, who led the K–5 ELA committee, told the board the committee reviewed 14 resources and conducted a pilot with about 62 educators from every elementary building. Tallon said the committee reached a consensus recommendation for Amplify CKLA because it delivers a two‑strand approach—an explicit knowledge strand and a foundational‑skills strand—that the presenters argued will build background knowledge while teaching phonics and decoding skills.

"What made CKLA stand out among the others is that their lessons are delivered in a two‑instructional strand approach," Tallon said, adding that the program aligns with the science of reading and includes assessments, English‑language‑development supports and built‑in interventions.

Three pilot teachers described classroom results. Kindergarten teacher Laura Rosing said the program was developmentally appropriate, praised the professional development and said student engagement was high. First‑grade teacher Ellie Nigro said CKLA’s dual‑strand model helped students both decode text and build subject knowledge—she cited students retaining facts from a human‑body unit. Third‑grade teacher Tracy Bradley said she had already seen improvements in student writing and fluency during the pilot.

District staff told the board they plan a phased implementation if the board adopts the resource: initial three‑hour trainings in late spring/early summer, materials arriving in stages, and follow‑up professional development in August and during the school year. Lindbergh said the district has aligned the rollout with its literacy vision and the MTSS framework to support differentiated instruction.

Funding for materials would come partly from a state literacy grant the presenters referred to as the "35m grant." At the board table, a district member confirmed that the grant award available to the district is approximately $713,000, and staff said that local special‑purpose funds would cover additional implementation costs and professional development as needed.

Board members praised the work of teachers and the committee and were invited to visit pilot classrooms before the board takes a final adoption vote. The presentation was a recommendation only; the board did not take a final adoption vote that night and will consider the item in subsequent readings.

If approved, the district expects full K–5 implementation by August 2026, following staged teacher training and material distribution.