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Staff recommend HMH 'Into Reading' as Monroe's K–5 curriculum, seek state 35m grant funding
Summary
District staff recommended selecting HMH Into Reading for K–5 after a teacher curriculum exploration and survey; staff will request adoption at the next meeting and apply for Section 35m grant funds by July 11, 2025. Staff estimated roughly $225,000 in grant funding based on $44 per pupil for the district and a $30,000 base award.
Monroe Public Schools staff recommended adopting HMH’s Into Reading as the district’s K–5 English language arts curriculum and signaled they will apply for state grant funds under Section 35m of the State School Aid Act.
Andrea (introduced by staff as the curriculum lead, speaker 15) told the board that the state’s CLA process produced a list of approved materials and that the district had to select a specific product by July 11 to be eligible for allocations. Staff narrowed the list to three options — HMH Into Reading, Amplify CKLA, and Wit & Wisdom — then convened a curriculum exploration day. Andrea said roughly 50 teachers participated in-person and others reviewed materials online. Teachers completed a survey and ranked options; staff reported 85.3% of respondents ranked HMH Into Reading as their first choice.
Andrea described Into Reading as a comprehensive, knowledge-based program that embeds foundational skills, decodable texts, writing and grammar instruction, small-group structures and formative assessments. Staff said every classroom teacher would receive a kit (teacher manuals in modules) if the district implements the program; the district plans staged implementation with early implementers in the first year and full implementation by the 2026–27 school year. Andrea also said approved dyslexia screeners from the state are expected in January and that the district will use screeners and follow-up evaluations rather than diagnosing dyslexia themselves.
On funding, staff explained the Section 35m grant buckets and timelines: the application window closes July 11; MDE will review applications in August and announce allocations in September 2025 with funds available in October. Board members estimated the district’s minimum allocation at roughly $225,000 (a calculation the transcript ties to $44 per pupil for ~4,500 students plus the $30,000 base award); Andrea said final funding will depend on statewide application choices and MDE allocations. Staff noted the board would be asked to adopt a program (not to purchase materials) at the next meeting; purchase decisions will follow when grant allocations are known.
District staff recommended moving forward to apply for the Tier 1 curriculum bucket and to bring an adoption request to the board, preserving existing intervention materials (UFLI) as supplemental tier-2 resources.
