Port Washington to pilot two knowledge‑building K–5 reading curricula after committee review

The Port Washington Union Free School District presented a year‑end update on literacy work and plans to pilot two K–5 reading curricula that emphasize building students’ background knowledge alongside foundational skills.

District presenters told the Board that the reading subcommittee — roughly 30 staff representing classroom teachers, English‑language‑learner teachers, special‑education staff and building administrators — reviewed four publisher programs over multi‑day sessions using a rubric and narrowed the choices to two knowledge‑building programs (identified by staff as Arts and Letters and EL Education during the review process). The committee said both programs include foundational‑skills components and supplemental materials for teachers supporting English learners and students receiving AIS or resource‑room services.

Staff emphasized that the pilot is substantial: more than 60 volunteer teachers across all five elementary schools signed up to test the two programs. Pilots will use a buddy system so teachers are not implementing alone; staff said grade‑level teams will pilot different programs so peer discussion at grade meetings will inform the evaluation.

The district outlined a PD and pilot timeline: two half‑day initial trainings at the end of June for volunteer teachers, teacher materials distributed for summer review, full‑day sessions with publishers in late August to prepare teachers for the first module, ongoing virtual and in‑person check‑ins and classroom walkthroughs, and a reconvening of pilot teachers in January. The reading subcommittee will evaluate results and recommend a final adoption in February, with districtwide implementation of the chosen program planned for the following September.

District staff also said both publishers include built‑in assessments and that the committee requested assessment plans from vendors; student results will be reviewed as part of the pilot. Librarians have been contacted to review book lists and inventory, and family letters will go home to describe modules to parents. Staff agreed to consider additional parent feedback mechanisms during the pilot.

Board members and community speakers asked about whether resource‑room and AIS teachers would be required to use the selected general‑education program. Staff said the curricula have supplemental materials and scaffolds intended for AIS and resource classes, but resource‑room instruction remains supplemental and individualized; expectations are not lowered for students who receive specialized instruction. Staff cited several intervention programs still used in resource settings (for example, SPIRE and Read 180 for specified populations) and said the pilot would not force a one‑size‑fits‑all change for specialized programs.

The meeting closed with board thanks to committee members and staff and a reminder that selections and staffing recommendations will be finalized through the summer and winter evaluation cycle.