Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Math Curriculum topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee votes to recommend continuation of Bridges elementary math; pilots planned for secondary math
Summary
The Curriculum & Instruction Committee voted to recommend continuing the Bridges elementary math program (staff cited ~85% teacher support and a roughly $57,000 six-year licensing cost). The committee also approved a month-long pilot of two secondary math resources—Envisions and Illustrative Math—with vendor PD and walkthroughs before an April recommendation.
The Manitowoc School District Curriculum & Instruction Committee voted to recommend continuation of the Bridges elementary math curriculum and heard plans for a pilot of two secondary math resources.
Staff told the committee that a teacher survey showed about 85% support for an updated Bridges edition and that updating licenses and digital resources would cost roughly $57,000 for a six-year cycle. The presenter said one downside is that the updated vendor removes a free printable workbook feature, so the district will need to purchase student workbooks going forward.
A committee member moved that the committee recommend the curriculum continuation/adoption; another member seconded the motion. When asked whether the customary 30-day public review period would apply if the district simply carries Bridges forward, staff said the policy does not require it but offered to publish a short document highlighting differences between the current and updated editions and make online resources available to families.
"If it's not radically different I'm not worried either way," a committee member said, and staff agreed to provide bullet points after their vendor training. The committee then voted by voice; the motion carried.
On secondary math, the committee heard that staff will pilot Envisions (a Savas/Kendall Hunt product) and Illustrative Math (Kendall Hunt) in middle schools and at Lincoln High for roughly a month. Tina Lemons from CISA7 will conduct walkthroughs with building principals, vendor representatives will provide professional development during a staff PD day, and the adoption team plans to return in April with a recommendation based on pilot outcomes.
No final secondary adoption was approved at this meeting; the committee will review pilot results and a formal recommendation in April.
