Instructional Materials

Instructional Materials Adoption

Standard-aligned instructional materials are critical tools for classroom learning. In the hands of our skilled teachers, such materials move a student through mastery of fundamental concepts to application and deeper thinking.

General Information

How does the Instructional Materials adoption process work

The process is defined by law and District policy. The adoption committee reviews state standards and best current research to develop a scope and sequence and common assessments, and then invites publishers to submit materials which they thoroughly analyze against their established criteria.

Materials undergo an intensive, evidence-based review process that usually includes student field testing, expert panels, and comparison of lessons and alignment across grade levels/course. Once the selection is narrowed to two or three programs, Clover Park parents and community members are invited to preview the materials. Next, the committee selects its top choice and makes a recommendation to the Instructional Materials Committee (IMC). The IMC evaluates the recommended materials to ensure they comply with state law and district policy (no bias or prejudice, for example), that the teacher committee followed its process, and that the content is appropriate for the students’ age level. The IMC’s recommendation and public comments then go to the Clover Park School Board, which has the option to approve the adoption. If not approved, the District retains the current curriculum until the adoption process can repeat itself.

What is the Instructional Materials Committee (IMC) and who is on it?

The IMC is legally required by the state and is the only body that can send a curriculum recommendation to the School Board. The IMC does not evaluate materials to determine the merits or comparison of their instructional content. It is comprised of 12 voting members. Up to two community members are on the committee from the district. The remainder of the committee is comprised of librarians, special education teachers, core content teachers, and district administrators. If you would like to volunteer for the IMC, please contact Teaching and Learning at 253-583-5140.

How important is the "right textbook"

Instructional materials are one important piece of student learning. The best materials align with state learning standards and support research-based, powerful instructional practices. With such effective tools, a master teacher, the most important education factor in a child’s learning, will be able to spend more time on delivery and differentiation than if s/he had to also create supplemental lesson plans to fill the gaps in curriculum and materials.

Current adoptions

Elementary:

  • ELA - K-5 Reach for Reading
  • Math – EngageNY
  • Science – Foss Kits
  • Social Studies - K-2 Social Studies Alive! (TCI); 3rd - Communities (Houghton Mifflin); 4th - Washington Adventures (Gibb Smith) and Daily Geography (Great Source); 5th - Social Studies Alive! (TCI)

Middle School:

  • ELA – 6-8 Collections (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  • Math – Holt courses 1, 2, 3, Algebra, & Geometry
  • Science – Holt Fusion
  • Social Studies -
    • Grade 6 -History Alive! The Ancient World (TCI)
    • Grade 7
      • World History units - History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond (TCI)
      • WA State units - The Washington Journey (Gibbs-Smith); League of Women Voters (free print material/online resource); Since Time Immemorial, Tribal Sovereignty in WA State (lessons and units found at indian-ed.org)
    • Grade 8
      • Discovering our Past: A History of the United States Early Years (Glencoe/McGraw-Hill)

High School:

  • ELA – 9-12 Collections (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  • Math – Holt Algebra, Geometry & Algebra II
  • Science – Physical Science (Holt), Biology (Pearson), Chemistry (Pearson), Physics (Pearson)
  • AP course titles as provided and approved by College Board
  • Social Studies -
    • Gr 9 World History
      • Ways of the World: (2nd Edition) Global History with Sources by Bedford St. Martin’s, 2013
      • The Choices Program by Brown University (World History units)
    • Gr 9/10 Cultural Studies
      • The Choices Program by Brown University (Current Issues/World History units)
    • Gr 11 US History
      • Understanding the American Promise, A History: Volume 2 From 1865 (Second Edition) (Bedford St. Martin’s)
      • The Choices Program by Brown University (US History units)
    • Gr 12 Current World Problems
      • Exploring Global Issues: Social, Economic, and Environmental Interconnections (Facing the Future)
      • The Choices Program by Brown University (Current Issues units)
    • Gr 12 Civics
      • Government Alive! Power, Politics and You (TCI)
  • World Language -
    • Spanish: Avancemos (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
    • AP Spanish: Abriendo Paso Temas, Gramatica, Test Prep (Pearson)
    • French: Bien Dit! (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt )
    • German: Prima (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt )
    • Japanese: Adventures in Japanese (Cheng and Tsui )