Waco ISD board approves new K–12 math curriculum after teacher-led review

The Waco Independent School Board voted to approve the district's recommendation to adopt new primary math instructional materials, moving forward with Great Minds (Bluebonnet) for kindergarten through fifth grade and Carnegie/Bluebonnet for secondary grades. The administration presented a formal recommendation and read the motion into the record: "Recommendation for the board approve the adoption and purchase of the Great Minds Bluebonnet for grades k through 5, McConaughey for grades 6 through 8, algebra 1 and 2, geometry as the primary math instruction resource for the district." The motion passed at roll call and the board moved on to the consent agenda.

Teachers and curriculum staff described a multi-stage, transparent process that began with a Region 12 vendor symposium, used a condensed State Board rubric at district and campus levels, and solicited input from teacher representatives on each campus. Dr. Kornblum, who led the presentation, summarized campus feedback and tallied teacher responses: "So for Grapevine's Bluebonnet, out of 280 math teachers, there were 218...218 math teachers or 78% of math teachers felt that the Great Minds Bluebonnet resource was more appropriate for them to deliver lessons," she said. That teacher-majority result helped drive the administration's recommendation to the board.

Trustees debated pilot options, student mobility and the risk that adopting a new resource can produce a short-term dip in student achievement during implementation. Several trustees urged caution and asked whether a smaller pilot across willing campuses would provide the best evidence; district leaders warned pilots could create inconsistent pacing for highly mobile students. Teachers who participated in on-campus reviews said the decision reflected widespread campus engagement: "We were very meticulous," said Christina Munoz, Kendrick Elementary campus representative. "We sat in grade-level small groups and gave text evidence where we found strengths."

Finance and implementation details were part of the discussion. Administration reported the adoption purchase and initial repurchase would be in the neighborhood of $1,024,000 and said funds in the district instructional materials allotment (IMA) would cover a large portion of the cost. The board discussed training plans and vendor-provided professional development that the district would schedule over the summer and into the next school year to support teacher internalization of lessons rather than additional lesson-writing.

What happens next: with the board's approval the district will proceed with vendor contracting, ordering of student materials and rollout of summer and fall professional-development dates. District staff said they will ask teachers and principals for frequent feedback during the first year of implementation and will monitor student performance data to decide whether to continue or pivot after the trial year.