Board approves new curriculum purchases for SHS and middle school; some members request evaluation updates

The Southmoreland School District board voted to purchase new high‑school math and English language arts resources totaling $135,649.16, to be funded from budgeted ARP/ESSER3 funds and the general fund. The high‑school package includes $54,262.01 for math and $81,387.15 for ELA materials; the middle‑school ELA purchase was approved separately for $15,407.51 and is budgeted from the general fund’s curriculum allocation.

Board members asked how curriculum adoption will be monitored and for evaluation data if student outcomes do not improve. One member objected to the items not having come before an academics committee and said she wanted follow‑up assessments and metrics: "If we find out that they aren't improving anything, we're stuck with them," she said. Administrators said the middle‑school purchase is for a one‑year trial and that high‑school materials are a multi‑year adoption with third‑party review to ensure rigor.

Administrators and curriculum teams described a review process that included teacher and content‑expert analysis and third‑party evaluations. The board approved both purchases by voice vote, with one recorded opposition on the high‑school items from a member who said more committee review would have been appropriate.