Um so uh this the audit would be a starting place um for us to all have common information to work with going forward as we uh begin to take a systematic approach to addressing the situation. I would be happy to support something like this if this was leading us into developing a new strategic plan. However, we are now in year four or five of our strategic plan and at the end of this we will have our post-mortem on our strategic plan and we will have all of the data that we require and we will see how things have changed. We've heard in the budget hearing that literacy rates have improved. We've heard from our principles as Diamond said um there has been considerable improvement So, I think that spending money to have an audit at this time is not a wise choice at this moment.
We just um finalized so that's why it's not on there. Um we'll do have we will have a specific session for CTE to continue growing their learning. What questions might you have with professional learning? >> Great presentation. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> 11.2 Curriculum um instruction and assessment. Dr. Fountain. All right. Good evening, [clears throat] Madam President, members of the board, Dr. Wyman and Miss Winger. Uh, this is just a continuation of our conversation in regards to uh the use of novels in our ELA curriculum. Um, mostly just coming to the podium to see what questions and direction you might provide. I know we've had a couple of different conversations since the last board meeting. Um, in essence, here's where we're at. We shared with you um that list of novels that we have to date. Um, we gave you multiple tabs there. That first tab is those historical novels, um, ones that were approved prior to most of our time here, except for maybe you, Miss Hargus.
And uh I I think it's important for all of us to acknowledge that there is a nationwide literacy crisis that our district is not alone in having struggles with literacy and that there there are a lot of factors and uh so going forward I think it will be very useful for all of us to um have clearer information about precisely what is going on in our district on this question and then for all of us to be sharing information about what constitutes best practices in literacy. Um so uh this the the audit would uh be a starting place um for us to all have common information to work with going forward as we uh begin to take a systematic approach to addressing the situation. Okay, member Denny, >> I would be happy to support something like this if this was leading us into developing a new strategic plan.
Not that I'm not for it. I just think that this is a useful tool that goes along with creating a new strategic plan where we have finished our five-year plan. We see where we are, how far we've come. We create the next set of goals with our new superintendent, right? She's going to look at our strategic plan or has already probably knows it by heart and we're going to move forward and if we think that an audit is necessary at that time we want to throw money at it then that makes sense but not now just like before school ends doesn't make a lot of sense to me and also kind of makes me cringe about the busy work that we would be asking um our interim superintendent to do right now at the end of the year. Um so that's like Um, that's why I can't support it like for now, but I'd like to support it later.
They're probably approved under your watch at some point in time, but before my time here. Um, I did highlight for you a couple of novels at the bottom of that list that we believe have been used, but I we can't find record of them being approved. So, we would recommend that when we get to the approval process, we formalize that just so we we have clarity for everyone. Um then you had another tab there on the novels that you approved as part of the adoption in May of last year. Um so that one I think we have good clarity on that piece as well. Uh then we shifted into the grade level tabs. Um those are the novels that are aligned with the adopted material. Um we have a little bit of ambiguity on where we were at on the approval process with that. Um, so I know that we have some belief that we approved those minus the PKed out ones back in May, but I'm not sure that everybody was on the same page with that.
However, we are now in year four or five of our strategic plan and at the end of this we will have our post-mortem on our strategic plan and we will have all of the data that we require and we will see how things have changed. We have heard in the budget hearing that literacy rates have improved. We've heard from our principles as Diamond said, um there has been considerable improvement. So I think that spending money to have an audit at this time is not a wise choice at this moment. Not that I'm not for it. I just think that this is a useful tool that goes along with creating a new strategic plan where we have finished our five-year plan. We see where we are, how far we've come. We create the next set of goals with our new superintendent, right? She's going to look at our strategic plan or has already probably knows it by heart and we're going to move forward.
I'd like to come back later when it's time to do this work because when we go to to MASC and we talk to Massachusetts Association of Superintendent, they tell us that when you make a strategic plan and when a new superintendent comes on board, you have to allow, as uncomfortable as it is for the public to hear it. It takes like three to five years, sometimes five to seven years for a full complete change to happen when you start to implement these things. and everybody wants it right now, but that's not that's not reality. So, I'm really looking forward to the end of our strategic plan. I was excited to see it when it came on board. We've gotten maybe not quite as regular reports as I would like with like all the details, but that's just me. So, like, you know, more reports if you guys want, but I'm looking forward to seeing all the data in the end where because I remember when we started it, so where are we now?
So, we just need to confirm that when we do the approval process that you're good with that list as is or you want to make any adjustments to it. That's entirely up to you. Um, then we provided the AP list and what's a very brief middle school list um, at the time being for uh, what we know has been historically used at the middle school. So, in essence, we've got I know we've talked a lot about and done a lot of work collaboratively on some of those statutes. Um, in essence, we have two major guard rails that we just have to stay inside. They're pretty straightforward. Um, the first one is that federal guard rail since just for fun, I thought I'd throw out there. It's a board vers of education versus PICO. It's a 1982 Supreme Court case. Um and that guard rail basically just says that the only one of the few cannot do for a governing board is that we cannot simply remove books because we dislike the ideas, social messages or political viewpoints contained within them.
And if we think that an audit is necessary at that time, we want to throw money at it, then that makes sense. but not now. Just like before school ends doesn't make a lot of sense to me and also kind of makes me cringe about the busy work that we would be asking um our interim superintendent to do right now at the end of the year. Um so that's like that's why I can't support it like for now, but I'd like to support it later. I'd like to come back later when it's time to do this work because when we go to to MASC and we talk to Massachusetts Association of Superintendent, they tell us that when you make a strategic plan and when a new superintendent comes on board, you have to allow, as uncomfortable as it is for the public to hear it.
you know, and then I think it would be worthwhile to spend some money and find a consultant and really do all of this in-depth work if we identify that, hey, literacy is still a real big problem. You know, just specifically in our district, you know, also acknowledging that it is a nationwide problem, but these are goals we have yet to fully identify. >> Other comments? Yes. Do we have current data? I mean, I know we do map testing. We do other stuff like do we have data on our reading literacy stats now that we could maybe we have access to it and I don't know, but I'm I'm per for per each building. Um, >> so yes, we were fortunate to um Stephen and I had met with member Goodwin regarding some of this and I'm going to turn it over to Stephen and he you've been very good on collecting the data.
It's a first amendment piece there, you know. So we kind of have that federal guard rail on one side. Then on the state side of things, um we have ARS 15701 which says that we have no choice as a school district but to teach the state standards. um and that becomes relevant because if we were to remove the vehicle for teaching the standards, we would be in violation of that. So if we said we're going to remove this whole genre of books, let's say, and we are obligated by statute to teach that genre, then we would be violating that statute. So I'm not worried about that, but that's a guardrail on the other side. And then going handinhand with that is of course ARS 1602. That's the parental rights one. Um I think we've got great fail safes in place for that. Historically, we've been in a good good position with that.
It takes like 3 to 5 years, sometimes 5 to seven years for a full complete change to happen when you start to implement these things. and everybody wants it right now, but that's not that's not reality. So, I'm really looking forward to the end of our strategic plan. I was excited to see it when it came on board. We've gotten maybe not quite as regular reports as I would like. We like all the details, but that's just me. So, like, you know, more reports if you guys want, but I'm looking forward to seeing all the data in the end where because I remember when we started it. So, where are we now? you know, and then I think it would be worthwhile to spend some money and find a consultant and really do all of this in-depth work if we identify that, hey, literacy is still a real big problem, you know, just specifically in our district.
The teachers right have been doing it and they're doing all the hard work. We know the rubber hits the road there. Um but that's where we're getting our improvements as mentioned by some of you Stephen. >> Yeah, we have quite a bit of data especially around early literacy. Um for the past two years, I'll just speak since I've been here. We've had a district instructional prioritization plan that has been developed with a focus on literacy. Um that's where the statewide system of support team through DESIE has come in and monitored us. Um they come in, they provide support, but they're also have some expectations about identifying certain goals and um plans as as it relates and ours has been specific to literacy. And I said probably about this time last year that last year in 2520 I'm sorry in 2425 our plan was based around literacy generally speaking.
That's the piece that just simply says we provide alternatives and we educate our families about what we're using. Um, our recommendation when we get to that point next month, uh, is that we utilize a par a parental permission slip really for all novel usage. Um, I think it's, [clears throat] excuse me, best practice at the secondary level, um, where we more traditionally see something like a syllabus that we provide that on the syllabus at the beginning of the year. But I'm a dad, too, and I know that I don't remember what the syllabus said at the beginning of the year. So, I think it's still best practice when we get to the point of utilizing that novel that we send home that parental permission just as a reminder. This is a novel we're using. Um, and part of that ARS 1602 is that alternate text.
You know, also acknowledging that it is a nationwide problem, but these are goals we have yet to fully identify. >> Other comments? Yes, member. Do we have current data? I mean, I know we do map testing. We do other stuff like do we have data on our reading literacy stats now that we could I mean maybe we have access to it and I don't know, but I'm I'm per for per each building. Um, >> so yes, we were fortunate to um Stephen and I had met with member Goodwin regarding some of this and I'm going to turn it over to Stephen. He he's been very good on collecting the data. The teachers, right, have been doing it and they're doing all the hard work. We know the rubber hits the road there. Um, but that's where we're getting our improvements as mentioned by some of you, Stephen.
This year we've dug in even deeper and said it's focused on early literacy. And we've spent significant time at our elementary schools setting up systems and structures so that teachers know more about the gaps that students have are able to identify specific gaps and then have the tools and resources to address those gaps. We are working with a consultant um a literacy expert on this and is supporting that work. Um, and we are reporting to our DESIE team on June 15th. Um, because our endofear benchmark window closes on June 12th, if that's the Friday and the Monday, I think. Um, so the end of the year benchmark window where students will have their third round of map, dibbles, assessment. In addition, we I've talked about how we've introduced core and pass, which is that diagnostic that identifies the specific gaps that they have. Um, that will be the end of the year data.
So, if you as a parent choose to opt out of that, we are obligated to provide an alternate text that has equality in terms of the rigor and experience that the student would get from that. So, we really just have those two guardrails and then the beautiful thing is you get to decide everything else. Um, so when we get to that point, whether it's June or July of this coming year, um, we'll take your direction on that comprehensive list. I think what's going to be great in that is that we will have a fresh list from the current sitting board. We're not going to we're not relying on too much historical information there or we've always used it and we just assumed it was okay. You know, we're asking you to refresh that list. give us a clear, clean, concise usage in 2026 so that we can provide those tools um for our teachers.
Yeah, we have quite a bit of data, especially around early literacy. Um, for the past two years, I'll just speak since I've been here, we've had a district instructional prioritization plan that has been developed with a focus on literacy. Um, that's where the statewide system of support team through DESIE has come in and monitored us. Um they come in, they provide support, but they're also have some expectations about identifying certain goals and um plans as as it relates and ours has been specific to literacy and I said probably about this time last year that last year in 2520 I'm sorry in 2425 our plan was based around literally literacy. Generally speaking, this year we've dug in even deeper and said it's focused on early literacy and we've spent significant time at our elementary schools setting up systems and structures so that teachers know more about the gaps that students have are able to identify specific gaps and then have the tools and resources to address those gaps.
So, we do have middle of year from beginning of year to middle of year data right now. Um, but come May 13th, that data is starting to get stale. But we used it at the middle of the year to change intervention groups and make changes to our practice. We actually just had data team meetings today at all three elementaryaries which were just introduced or reintroduced um to the elementary schools in March for the first time and this was our second round of those. Um so as I've said before we're working to set up systems and structures to address this. I I'll be I am not opposed to a audit or anything like that. I do think we could learn something about it. Um, I'm pretty confident what the audit would tell us and I think we're taking steps to address those things in real time and always reflecting back on the places where we might have misststepped or where we've gotten more out of something than we initially expected and finding opportunities where we can double down um or not repeat mistakes.
So what questions might you have or what direction do you want to provide teaching and learning so that we can prepare for that next board meeting? >> Okay. Do you have any questions either? >> No. do home. >> I do. >> Um first of all, thank you um everything that you have been collaborating with your team and with the board and superintendent Wyman and um our incoming Mr. Hogan. I appreciate you and you've been doing a great job. So, thank you for that. Um I do want to see if as we're moving forward, I did [clears throat] remember I gave you a cough drop like a year ago. >> I don't have my personal. >> You owe >> me [laughter] Um, bear with me. I apologize. [clears throat] Um, I would like to see some additional columns added to the Excel spreadsheet that you sent out.