Board approves CKLA K–5 pilot after discussion of materials, training and evaluation

The Schuyler Community Schools board approved a purchase of CKLA (Amplify) pilot materials for kindergarten through fifth grade following a presentation and a period of board questions about implementation and evaluation.

S7, who led the curriculum presentation for kindergarten through five, said the district chose CKLA for its level of rigor, cross-curricular texts and built-in multilingual supports. "If it works for English learners and other communities and they're seeing an increase in their scores or proficiency on the ELPA," S7 said, "we need to get ahead of the curve as well." S7 also described the plan for a training day and ESU support before the pilot begins.

Board members asked whether controversial passages had been removed and how success would be measured. S7 said the third edition incorporates edits that removed religion-related passages flagged in earlier editions and that the district will compare MAP and early-literacy test data from participating classrooms against those continuing to use the WONDERS program.

The motion to purchase pilot materials was moved by S1 and seconded by S4; a roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval. Administrators said they will return midyear and in spring with comparative data and that teachers will help build a local curriculum map to exclude any lesson elements deemed inappropriate for the district.

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Administration will complete the purchase, provide professional development before the pilot, and report midyear and spring assessment comparisons to the board.