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District staff recommend Savvas’ My Perspective for secondary English curriculum
Summary
Director of teaching and learning Susie Contos told the Clover Park School District board the year‑long, teacher‑led review recommends Savvas Learning Company’s My Perspective for grades 6–11 core and honors ELA, with McGraw Hill and Cengage texts recommended for AP courses and Oxford for IB; the board will consider a formal resolution at its May 11 meeting.
Susie Contos, the district’s director of teaching and learning, told the Clover Park School District board that a year‑long, teacher‑led review of secondary English language arts materials resulted in a recommendation to adopt My Perspective by Savvas Learning Company for grades 6–11 core and honors courses.
Contos said 74 secondary educators participated in the pilot and review, which also examined materials for AP English Language and Composition, AP Literature and Composition, and IB courses. For AP and IB pathways staff recommended The Art of Voice (McGraw Hill) for AP Language, a Cengage title for AP Literature, and an Oxford University Press text for the IB program. Contos said teachers taught full instructional units of pilot materials, submitted rubric scores under the Washington State quality review rubric, and collected student surveys after units.
The recommendation, Contos said, is grounded in alignment with Washington State learning standards, instructional rigor, and supports for diverse learners. She told the board that My Perspective was described by teachers and students as more engaging and user‑friendly, with consumable workbooks and built‑in translation tools that benefit multilingual learners; by contrast, StudySync pilot feedback cited navigation and scaffolding concerns.
Board members asked about author representation and supplemental novel choices. Contos responded that the adoption provides anthologies and supplemental novels; individual teachers will order novels that reflect the needs and demographics of their students once the curriculum is adopted. She also said functional‑academics courses would use scaffolded versions of the recommended materials.
The board is scheduled to receive a formal resolution reflecting the recommendation at its May 11 meeting.
