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Board approves Teachtown curriculum to address special‑education assessment results
Summary
The board approved a contract for the Teachtown curriculum (K–8 implementation) after staff said the district's alternative‑assessment passage rate was effectively zero under the previous program; implementation will be tailored and preschool materials may be added later.
The board approved a multi‑grade contract for the Teachtown curriculum aimed at students served on alternative academic standards after staff reported prior materials were not user friendly and that passage rates on alternative assessments were extremely low.
Special‑education staff described a pilot in which Teachtown’s materials performed better in teacher feedback and accessibility. A staff presenter said bluntly that the district’s existing alternative‑assessment passage rate was “zero,” and argued the new curriculum would provide teachers with a more usable instructional tool and reduce burdens in multi‑level learning centers.
Board members asked implementation questions: which grades would receive the curriculum (K–8 use, with high‑school needs evaluated separately), how preschool materials would be added or tailored, the scope of training and PD (district will pursue train‑the‑trainer approaches to reduce PD costs), and whether the pilot notes and teacher feedback are documented. Staff said they had volunteer pilots from each grade band and would tailor preschool purchases to avoid duplicate shipping costs.
On roll call the Teachtown contract passed unanimously. Staff committed to data tracking during implementation and to return with evidence of usage and outcomes.
Next steps: phased K–8 rollout, train‑the‑trainer model to limit PD costs, and progress reports to the board on usage and assessment outcomes.
