Board hears first read of recommended K‑12 math curricula; district committee backs Eureka Math Squared and Amplify/Desmos

District curriculum leaders on Tuesday presented the board with the results of a yearlong review and classroom pilot that recommended new mathematics curricula for elementary, middle and high school.

Chief Academic Officer John Yelles said the adoption process followed district criteria and the Instructional Materials Committee review, calling the board’s consideration “stage six, step six of the process.” The presentation tied teacher, student and family feedback to classroom samples and assessment data collected during two six‑week pilot cycles.

At the elementary level, the adoption committee recommended Eureka Math Squared over Envision Math Plus after classroom piloting in 32 classrooms representing about 675 K‑5 students. Committee members said families and students reported increased math talk, confidence and engagement. “Our committee reached consensus on recommending Eureka Math Squared as the new elementary math curriculum adoption,” a committee summary noted.

Elementary pilot leaders described the curriculum as built around low‑floor, high‑ceiling tasks, hands‑on activities and structured teacher guidance intended to make lessons easier for any teacher to deliver. Teachers said the student activity books and teacher guides were “streamlined” and accessible. Curriculum leads said each unit includes family letters and an “apply” book to support parents who want to follow classroom work at home.

At middle school, a majority of pilot teachers favored Edge Gems (edgegems), citing strong student engagement and classroom activities that balance direct instruction and collaborative tasks. Middle‑school pilots covered sixth through eighth grade and involved more than 900 students in the district review cycle.

For high school algebra and geometry, the committee recommended an Amplify/Desmos‑based program (the district presented it as Amplify/Desmos). Teachers and students reported that the blended digital‑and‑paper design provided interactive visualization (sliders, graphs) while preserving pencil‑and‑paper practice and built‑in reflection.

District leaders emphasized that the presentation was a first reading and that no formal adoption vote was taken Tuesday. John Yelles and curriculum staff outlined a proposed implementation timeline that includes a full‑day mathematics professional‑learning launch on Aug. 24, a follow‑up day in October and ongoing in‑building coaching and collaboration opportunities for teachers.

“We will have a big math professional learning day, August 24th,” one presenter told the board, noting the plan to provide follow‑up coaching and planning support so teachers can implement materials with fidelity.

Presenters also provided three‑ and six‑year cost estimates covering teacher materials, manipulatives, student consumable workbooks and annual digital license renewals; they said those estimates do not yet include the full multi‑year professional‑learning investment the district intends to fund.

Board members asked about implementation details, articulation between grade bands, supports for families to help with homework and evidence from neighboring districts that have adopted the same materials. Curriculum staff said Envision has long been used in the region, that other districts have adopted the recommended products, and that long‑term outcomes require multi‑year implementation and monitoring.

The board will consider the recommendation in subsequent readings; if adopted, the district said it would commit to a multi‑year implementation plan with classroom coaching and ongoing evaluation.