Park Ridge CCSD 64 board adopts new K–2 and 6–8 ELA curricula, approves $770,068 in initial spending

The Board of Education for Community Consolidated School District 64 on April 18 approved a K–2 adoption of Amplify CKLA and a grades 6–8 adoption of HMH Into Literature following a district curriculum review and pilot program.

Samantha, who led the K–8 ELA review committee, told the board the process included professional learning, program analysis and piloting across buildings and was grounded in the district strategic plan and the Illinois Literacy Plan. “We feel really good about our decision,” she said.

Megan Keefer, the district’s K–5 ELA curriculum specialist, said the recommended Amplify CKLA program aligns to state standards, integrates reading, writing and language instruction and embeds formative and benchmark assessments. “It is directly aligned to our state standards,” she said, adding that CKLA emphasizes knowledge building alongside phonics and decoding instruction. The board was told the district plans to buy teacher print editions, student readers and digital licensing and to embed professional learning across institute and early-release days.

Lindsay Harrington, the district’s 6–8 ELA department chairperson, described HMH Into Literature as offering rigorous, varied texts and built-in supports — audio texts, glossaries and coaching videos — and reported strong teacher support during piloting.

Presenters estimated the price for K–2 Amplify CKLA at about $330,000 for a six-year subscription and the 6–8 HMH adoption at roughly $439,000 for a similar rollout. Staff said some costs will be offset by Title funding and by eliminating duplicate or supplemental programs over the multi-year rollout. Administration cautioned that portions of the Title funding for next year were not yet released and therefore not guaranteed.

Board members questioned implementation logistics, especially how an integrated ELA block would affect specialized programming and special education service delivery. Samantha and other administrators acknowledged schedule and staffing trade-offs, saying the district plans further planning and modest additional FTE where needed to avoid disrupting students’ special education services or the Channels of Challenge program. “We don’t want to build the plane while we’re flying,” Samantha said, describing a deliberate, phased approach.

A board member moved to adopt Amplify CKLA for K–2 and HMH Into Literature for grades 6–8 as recommended by the K–8 ELA review committee; the motion (which listed total initial cost as $770,068) was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote with all members voting yes.

What’s next: staff will move forward with vendor contracts and develop a detailed implementation plan, including professional learning timelines, schedule adjustments and a phased rollout that begins with K–2 and extends through later grades over subsequent years.