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District reports upward trends in literacy professional development and HMH implementation
Summary
Chief academic officer reported widespread HMH curriculum use with positive teacher and principal feedback; the district cited survey results showing most general education K-5 teachers use HMH daily and said HMH coaching participation is high, while teachers urged more planning time and supports for special education and immersion classrooms.
The committee received a monthly update on the district's FY'7 academic literacy plan, with administration reporting growth in professional development participation and implementation of HMH instructional materials.
Chief Academic Officer Ana Maria Laval Jimenez said the district has conducted learning walks and daily HMH modeling in many schools, and presented survey data showing an upward trend in teacher and principal perceptions of the training's relevance and usefulness. In K-5 classrooms, 205 of 259 general education teachers surveyed reported using HMH materials daily, and coaching participation was reported at roughly 68.7% for K-5 teachers.
Presenters acknowledged implementation challenges, particularly scheduling and time constraints, and noted special education and ESL teachers reported lower confidence in implementing the whole-group word recognition and word-study components. Angela Harris, a second-grade teacher, praised the gains students have made under explicit phonics instruction aligned with HMH but urged that implementation preserve teacher autonomy, collaboration time and supports for diverse learners.
Administration said it is auditing instructional minutes, reviewing state and district requirements, and working on an RFP to adopt high-quality ELA materials for grades 9-12 to support secondary instruction and professional development for adolescent literacy.
The committee received the informational update; administration said more detailed materials and follow-up will be shared as the work continues.
