Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ed Technology topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tacoma board approves Savvas math, CommonLit and a multi-million-dollar technology procurement
Summary
The board approved a five-year Savvas math curriculum contract and a multi-year CommonLit ELA purchase, and authorized a large technology procurement package under RFP 26014A that includes interactive displays and district-wide laptops funded largely by the technology levy.
The Tacoma School District Board approved multiple curriculum and technology purchases during its regular meeting.
The assistant superintendent of teaching and learning recommended and the board approved the purchase of Savvas Envision Plus math for grades six and seven for the 2026–2031 school years in the amount of $647,928.50 (exclusive of sales tax). The board also approved CommonLit 360 for grades six through 10 ELA for the 2026–27 through 2028–29 school years in the amount of $454,297.78.
In a separate set of votes under a technology solicitation (RFP 26014A), the board approved procurement items recommended by the chief technology officer and deputy superintendent. The package included mobile interactive displays (presented as approximately $4.33 million over four years), laptop computers for staff and students in grades K–8 (listed at $26,028,071) and laptops for grades 9–12 ($9,940,240 over four years), plus technology accessories ($1,302,118) and related deployment services. Board presenters noted the purchases would be funded from the district's technology levy.
Board members asked for and received brief explanations of the curriculum selections: staff said Savvas was selected after teachers piloted options in semester one and two and nearly unanimously preferred the 2027 version; CommonLit was chosen as a fiscally and academically appropriate replacement after earlier materials were sunset.
All procurement motions were moved, seconded and approved during the meeting; the board thanked voters for supporting the technology levy that funds the large package.
No item was tabled or withdrawn; the district said implementation and device-management safeguards would continue to be refined at the school level.
