Ocean View launches math textbook pilot; board seeks teacher volunteers

The Ocean View School District set out a phased plan on May 12 to evaluate and pilot math instructional materials ahead of a board recommendation next year.

Curriculum specialist Lori Mans outlined the adoption process tied to the California Mathematics Framework and the statewide approved publisher list. The district identified five core requirements — paper and digital access, accessibility, Spanish materials for dual‑language immersion, K–8 continuity, and support for acceleration pathways — and narrowed candidates for deeper review based on those criteria.

Board members and teachers on the subcommittee urged a balance between inquiry‑based, student‑centered approaches and direct instruction. Trustees emphasized that materials must be teacher‑friendly, include paper‑and‑pencil options (not exclusively computer‑based), and avoid excessive labor for classroom implementation. Dr. Hoer and Trustee members asked for volunteers to serve on pilot teams that will test programs in classrooms this fall and winter; a recommendation is planned for the board next May.

Mans said stakeholders will evaluate programs for standards alignment, assessment practices, accessibility and student engagement during structured review sessions and classroom pilots. The board flagged practical integration issues, such as gradebook interoperability and transitions between publishers for accelerated pathways (e.g., fifth to sixth grade algebra bridges), as items the pilot will examine.

The board did not adopt a curriculum at the May 12 meeting; it called for teacher participation in piloting and additional structured review sessions scheduled in late May and potentially June.