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Mosinee board adopts K–8 Illustrative Mathematics after extended implementation debate
Summary
Following a multi-part presentation and extensive board questions about pilots, parent outreach and professional development, the Mosinee School District board voted to adopt Illustrative Mathematics for K–8 with plans for paid coaching and supplemental adaptive practice.
The Mosinee School District Board of Education voted to adopt Illustrative Mathematics (IM) as the district’s K–8 math curriculum after a lengthy presentation and debate about implementation, cost and parent communication.
Tom, the district presenter, told the board the recommendation followed a multi-year review focusing on lesson design, standards alignment and local pilot data. He said the curriculum scored highest on a locally developed rubric and is highly rated by third‑party reviewer EdReports. “It is an open source model that provides a lot of resources for our teachers as well as strong professional learning around it,” Tom said, adding IM aligns to the district’s existing high‑school algebra pathway.
Board members pressed for evidence and clarity on several points: how the curriculum performed in local pilots, whether elementary classrooms would manage the model’s student‑first tasks, and what supports new teachers would need. Tom acknowledged earlier implementation challenges in a high‑school pilot and emphasized that the district would contract Math Insights Consulting for professional development and could partner with a researcher (Westend) that offered a $7,000 stipend to support coaching.
Board members also discussed supplemental tools. Tom recommended continuing or adopting ALEKS for individualized practice and diagnostics, saying it provides diagnostic tests and personal learning pathways to support students who need targeted practice.
Concerns from the board and attendees centered on parent communication and how to help families support children learning with a different instructional approach. A trustee said parents sometimes find new math formats confusing; another urged a clear family‑facing plan. Tom pointed to IM’s family resources and suggested ongoing communications and training opportunities for parents to improve engagement.
A motion to adopt the K–8 Illustrative Mathematics curriculum was made by Servais Stankowski and seconded by Nesk. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote with a majority in favor and two members recorded as no. The board also asked administration to detail a timeline for rollout, finalize printing/copying decisions that affect first‑year costs, and present a professional development schedule.
Votes at a glance - Adoption of K–8 Illustrative Mathematics: approved (motion by Stankowski, second by Nesk; roll call majority yes, two no).
What happens next: District staff will finalize printing and implementation costs, contract certified IM consultants for professional learning, and present a rollout timeline and parent communication plan to the board.
