Board receives first reads for science and Italian textbooks; committee discusses digital‑first approach and print access

Staff presented first‑read recommendations for new science and Italian instructional resources and answered board questions about digital licenses, print availability and timeline.

For science, curriculum committee members recommended Savvas for on‑level biology and chemistry because the package was designed from scratch with accessibility and chunked content, while the honors chemistry recommendation leaned toward an OpenStax/open‑source option for rigor. Committee presenters said digital licenses under consideration would be six‑year purchases, and physical copies would be available as classroom sets rather than a hard copy for every student.

Amy, a committee member, described the pedagogical fit: the recommended science resource uses NGSS‑aligned phenomena and built‑in accessibility features (text‑to‑speech, alternate text) and is designed to support differentiation. “This book started from scratch,” she said, and pointed to features that support students who need assistive access or extension work.

For Italian, the committee reported choosing a new CLET/Giovanni program that arrived as an advanced copy, praised its scaffolding toward AP‑level study and said class sets of hard copies would be provided while students would be rostered to a digital edition. Board members raised concerns about heavy textbooks and student backpack weight but staff noted printing options and classroom sets to limit daily carrying.

Board members requested that staff continue to collect teacher feedback, confirm physical‑copy availability and price, and provide final recommendation language at a future meeting. Staff signaled plans to re‑examine physics options after a late submission by a publisher.

Next steps: staff will return with final recommendation materials, cost and license details and answers to board questions about hard‑copy distribution and access for students who cannot use screens.