MUSD board approves $1.6 million science curriculum

The Maricopa Unified School District governing board voted 4-1 to approve the adoption of a new K-12 science curriculum at its meeting Wednesday night, replacing the existing, 14-year-old version. Jim Jordan was the lone dissenting vote.

The new curriculum, with a price tag of $1,593,793, will be in place for six years. It is part of an adoption cycle that began with a new math curriculum for the 2017-18 school year followed by English Language Arts in 2018. MUSD added student laptops for the 2020-21 school year, and the final adoption in the cycle will be social studies.

With about 8,000 students in the district, the cost of the new science curriculum comes to about $33 per student per year.

Teachers analyzed and voted on curriculum options. Provider Savvas (formerly Pearson) received 50% of the vote, McGraw Hill garnered 32% and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt received 18%. The district had discussed the possibility of splitting the curriculum between different providers for elementary and secondary levels but opted for a K-12 adoption of the Savvas curriculum.

Wade Watson, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, cited numerous reasons that Savvas won over the district’s teachers.

“The (grades) 6-8 portion of Savvas’ elevateScience^TM had statistically significant science performance increases after one year of use,” he said. “Furthermore, at the secondary level, the experience in science and physics focuses on the science of doing” and “allows students to investigate real, compelling phenomena and experience how science relates to everyday life.”

Watson added the adoption includes textbooks as well as lab kits and consumable texts, with a restock annually through the six years of the contract. Professional development is also a part of the program, training teachers and administrators on the science materials and platforms.

Savvas also offers online access to texts, online videos, tutorials, assessments, and other tools to bolster the experience. MUSD currently uses the Pearson math curriculum, and Watson said familiarity with the platform was a factor in the decision.

District superintendent Dr. Tracey Lopeman underscored the need for the new curriculum.

“Right now, our teachers are working together to craft their own materials,” she said. “It’s hard when there’s other materials out there that are already research-based and have a lot of layers, and the lab kits and the digital package. Now they can be so much more effective with their planning because they are planning instead of creating.”

Jordan cast his “no” vote on philosophical grounds.

“There’s just so much to it,” he said after the meeting. “I spent 40 years being a pastor. Does that give you any ideas? It’s about my Christian beliefs, and they don’t jive with the curriculum. We knew it was coming, but I didn’t choose to make a big deal about it. There was no other option.”