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Piedmont board hears details of two-curriculum ELA pilot: 20 teachers, March–May review
Summary
District staff said they narrowed a review of 26 ELA curricula to two finalists—Benchmark Advance and Fish Tank Learning—will run two pilot cycles with 20 teachers beginning March 18, use numerical scoring of 'look fors' plus qualitative notes, and reconvene May 7 to synthesize results.
Assistant Superintendent Ariel Dolowich told the board the district vetted a large set of literacy programs and narrowed the selection for elementary ELA adoption to two finalists. “We vetted a number of curriculums, 8 down to 2, and we're essentially doing 2 pilot cycles of 2 different curriculums this second half of the year,” Dolowich said.
Dolowich described the two pilots: Benchmark Advance (a comprehensive program with an intervention component) and Fish Tank Learning (a complementary model that would keep the district’sphonics-to-reading foundations and add a 'knowledge base'). He said 20 teachers will pilot the curricula in grade-level bands beginning March 18, running roughly 7–8 weeks for the trial units, then pause for evaluation before next steps.
To compare the pilots, Dolowich said adoption teams will collect narrative classroom evidence and record numerical ratings on agreed "look fors" (access to complex text, evidence-based writing, cultural responsiveness and connected strategies). The adoption committee of nine — those receiving stipends and who will make the ultimate recommendation — will present its findings to the board in May.
