MSAD 60 board adopts Magnetic Literacy for K–6, directs deeper review for grades 7–8

The MSAD 60 Board of Directors voted unanimously on June 4 to adopt Magnetic Literacy as the district’s kindergarten through sixth‑grade English language arts curriculum and to direct a fuller pilot of Arts & Letters for grades seven and eight.

The decision followed a yearlong review led by a committee of teachers and administrators that began in October. Janet Swiger, director of teaching and learning, told the board the committee evaluated eight or nine programs, conducted site visits, held Q&A sessions with practitioners, and ran short classroom pilots with 11 volunteer teachers before narrowing candidates to three and then one. "All 21 members voted unanimously for one particular program," Swiger said of the committee.

Swiger described Magnetic Literacy as a comprehensive, structured‑literacy program aligned to the science of reading: it combines explicit foundational skills instruction (phonics and decoding) with knowledge‑building units intended to develop vocabulary, background knowledge and comprehension. The presenter emphasized built‑in assessments, teacher guides and support materials designed to reduce planning time and provide in‑lesson differentiation.

Board members asked detailed questions about assessment compatibility and implementation. Staff said Magnetic Literacy includes an online diagnostic administered three times per year and a dyslexia screener; several members compared this to the district’s current progress‑monitoring tool (referred to in discussion as "dibbles") and requested a parallel comparison so the board can see how the new assessments align with current benchmarks.

Members also pressed for an implementation review schedule. Staff proposed initial professional development during the last teacher day before the school year and multiple follow‑up sessions through January, a touchpoint after the first trimester to check usability, a six‑month review on teacher experience, and an annual evaluation of student progress.

The board’s motion, moved and seconded during the meeting, approved Magnetic Literacy for K–6 and accepted Arts & Letters for grades seven and eight to be given a full‑year exploration and pilot next year. The motion passed on a unanimous vote.

Support and concerns: The MSAD60 Teachers Association had spoken earlier in public comment endorsing the district budget and urging community support for candidates who will back teachers; several board members praised the committee’s research depth. A few board members reserved detailed judgment until the district supplies side‑by‑side assessment comparisons and formalized evaluation metrics.

Next steps: Staff will share presentation slides with board members, finalize the professional development schedule if the decision is to proceed, and provide comparative assessment information to the board at the next meeting. The curriculum adoption is to be implemented beginning fiscal year 2027.