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Curriculum committee outlines handwriting changes, gifted identification and assessment results
Summary
The curriculum committee reported on state-required handwriting instruction expansion to grades 4–5, new requirements to identify gifted students in early grades, AI/information-literacy planning, and several AP, SAT and ACT performance metrics for the class of 2025; staff will return with program costs and training plans.
The curriculum committee reported it met Feb. 6 and discussed several items that will affect instruction and assessment in coming years. Committee members said new state legislation requires the district extend the district’s Handwriting Without Tears instruction to grades 4 and 5 by 2027 and that supervisors are arranging teacher training this spring.
Committee reporting also covered upcoming information-literacy standards and work to integrate artificial intelligence guidance into existing curriculum; teachers received a presentation from consultant Olga Polites and other groups concerning information literacy and AI. The committee noted summer curriculum projects will address integration work.
New Jersey rules requiring formal identification and notification of students who would benefit from gifted-and-talented programs beginning in early grades were discussed; the district is developing criteria that will use current assessment information (reading scores, report card indicators and math measures) and will notify parents and teachers in the weeks ahead.
Part one of a post-secondary report included enrollment and participation measures for AP courses and percentile/benchmark results for SAT and ACT testing for the class of 2025. The committee highlighted increases in AP exam participation (total exams and percent of students taking exams) and reported benchmark rates for SAT reading/writing and ACT subscores. Committee staff said they will provide cost estimates for required handwriting curriculum adoption and teacher training at the next curriculum meeting.
Board members thanked teachers and students for strong results and asked staff to provide cost estimates for implementing the new handwriting scope and training.
