Medford district says Student Investment Account helped attendance; opts to write ELA curriculum in-house

Deputy Superintendent Jeanne Grazioli told legislators the district continues to address pandemic-era learning gaps and is using Student Investment Account (SIA) funds to pay program staff aimed at attendance and graduation improvements. Grazioli said there remains "a learning gap as a result of the pandemic and decreased summer funding," but she reported that the district has seen improvements in graduation rates and attendance tied to additional attendance program staff funded with SIA dollars.

Grazioli also described the district’s decision to develop a new English language arts curriculum in‑house rather than purchasing a commercial curriculum. She said that a recent curriculum audit prompted the choice and that SIA funds were used to pay teachers to write curriculum and for training. Board members framed the in‑house approach as an investment intended to better align materials with district goals; no dollar totals for the work were provided in the meeting.

Legislators asked how SIA funds were used and whether measurable improvements followed; Grazioli cited the graduation and attendance gains but acknowledged gaps remain.