Lynwood Unified staff recommend new TK–12 math programs after year-long pilot; board hears informational report

Lynwood Unified School District staff told the school board on May 28 that a year-long pilot and staff vote produced a recommendation to adopt new TK–12 math curricular materials intended to boost student engagement and close long-standing achievement gaps.

Miss Verdusco, the district’s TK–12 director of educational services, summarized the selection process and the reasons for change, saying the district’s current math proficiency "stands at 23%" and that the California 2023 math framework emphasizes problem solving, investigation and equitable instruction. She said teachers, students and parents participated in two five-week pilot periods and provided surveys and feedback during the spring pilot cycle.

The pilot team narrowed more than 60 state-approved programs to two elementary options and two secondary options, then piloted the finalists. For TK–5, pilot teachers recommended California Mathematics (Curriculum Associates); for secondary (6–12), they recommended Reveal Math (McGraw Hill). Verdusco described a teacher voting window (May 11–15) and said 54 staff members across grades participated in the evaluation and pilots.

Staff presented estimated costs associated with the recommendation: an estimated not-more-than $1.5 million for the TK–5 adoption (eight-year cycle) and an estimated not-more-than $2 million for secondary (eight-year cycle). Those figures were presented as staff estimates for budgeting and planning during the implementation conversation.

Miss Verdusco and Dr. Marbel Martinez, assistant superintendent of educational services, outlined next steps if the board advances the adoption: publisher-led onboarding training in August, site-based professional development, pacing plans for teachers, and ongoing collaboration with academic coaches. Verdusco said parents and student ambassadors were involved in the pilot and that the district intends continued family engagement during implementation.

The presentation was delivered to the board as information only; the transcript notes the item as an "information-only" report at the meeting, and no final board action on adoption was recorded that evening. Staff said they will return with required procurement steps, timelines for classroom rollout and more detailed budget documentation if the adoption proceeds.

Supporters and parents who addressed the board during public comment praised efforts to improve math instruction but urged attention to accessibility for English learners and students with disabilities. One parent told the board: "Communication, training and transparency will be very important to make sure this curriculum truly benefits all the children."