All curriculum adoptions in the Lake Washington School District follow an 8-10 year cycle of replacement. The curriculum review and adoption process follows similar steps for all content areas. This process typically spans two years.

In the first year of the process, an adoption committee comprised of a representative group of teachers and administrators engage in these tasks:

• Review Best Practice research in the content field
• Identify curriculum standards
• Conduct a current program review
• Develop screening criteria for reviewing new curriculum materials

In the second year of the adoption process, the committee engages in these tasks:

• Review curriculum materials using screening criteria
• Select curriculum and submit selection to the Instructional Materials Committee (IMC)
• Plan Professional Development for teachers

The district Instructional Materials Committee, which is comprised of teachers, administrators, community members, and high school students, reviews the curriculum. If approved, the IMC recommends the curriculum to the School Board. The recommended materials are on public display in the district Resource Center for community review and comment. The School Board takes action in a public Board meeting to approve the curriculum materials.

At its first meeting on October 6, 2008, the K-5 Math Adoption Committee began its two-year process that will result in the adoption of new K-5 Math materials for the start of the 2010-11 academic year. The committee is comprised of several elementary principals and one teacher representing each elementary school, including Choice Schools. Teachers also represent various programs, including Special Education, Safety Net, English Language Learner and Gifted Education.

This Web site has highlights about the K-5 Math Adoption Committee meetings. To locate these resources, click on the “News” link on the district homepage (www.lwsd.org). Then select the Elementary Math Adoption link. You will find a timeline of the committee’s work. You can also review the mathematics resources used by the committee.

The purpose is to provide information for staff and parents about the ongoing progress of our K-5 Math Adoption Process.

There will be multiple opportunities for staff and parents to learn about the progress of the adoption and to provide feedback. Our goal is to ensure that all, and not just some, staff and parents have opportunities to stay informed and provide feedback.

1. The district Web site will provide ongoing information about the progress of the K-5 Math Adoption process so that staff and community members are kept informed in a timely way.
2. Principals and committee members will hold a staff meeting and parent meeting in each elementary school before June, 2009. The purpose of this meeting is to:
• Provide information about the website resources about the current mathematics curriculum that can help parents work with their children
• Provide ongoing communication about the progress of the K-5 Mathematics Adoption
• Gather feedback from staff and parents using focused questions about the resources and the adoption process
3. A similar-type meeting will be held in each elementary school in the 2009-10 school year, with the purpose of sharing a progress report of the adoption process and to solicit additional feedback from staff and parents.
4. In 2009-10, during the field-testing of mathematics materials under consideration for adoption, staff and parents will be given focused questions to help inform the K-5 Adoption Committee with the evaluation of the materials under consideration.

The feedback will be collected and recurring “themes” will be identified. These themes will be posted on the district website. The adoption committee will review these themes and use the feedback in its review of curriculum materials under consideration.