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Franklin Lakes previews major ELA curriculum changes, plans pilots for ELA and secondary math
Summary
At the Sept. 24 meeting the Franklin Lakes Board heard presentations on the district strategic plan, substantial proposed changes to English language arts with pilot plans, more limited math updates and the district’s QSAC accountability review history; curriculum approvals are scheduled for Oct. 29.
District curriculum leaders presented an update to the Franklin Lakes Board of Education on Sept. 24 outlining planned changes to English language arts and targeted improvements in mathematics, along with the district’s Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) background.
Ms. Steines, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, told the board that English language arts will see “extensive changes,” including foundational reading and writing work and that ELA products will be piloted before any adoption. She said math changes were less extensive but that the district plans to pilot Algebra and Geometry materials aligned with the high school curricula. “Math and Language Arts are the meat and potatoes of what we do,” she said, characterizing the centrality of these subjects to district instruction.
Board members, including Vice President Scott Loia and President Ari Donio, asked for quantification of how much curriculum is evaluated and how much development is done in‑house versus acquired from vendors. Ms. Steines said she could not provide exact quantification at the meeting and that feedback channels include teacher and parent surveys and meetings; she thanked the Curriculum Team and noted special education curriculum work completed over the summer.
Superintendent Mr. Maceri presented QSAC results and explained the state review process typically runs on a three‑year cycle. He told the board the district’s last QSAC review occurred in 2009 and reminded members that state waivers for high performing districts had been modified; the state expects high performance to exceed 80% in each category.
The minutes record that the district’s curriculum will be brought back for formal approval at the next board meeting on Oct. 29, 2024. Board members asked staff to quantify evaluation metrics and sources of curriculum development before final adoption.
