District 203 to review new materials to help teach literacy

School board members in Naperville Unit District 203 soon will be hearing about $1.3 million worth of new resources educators are proposing the district begin using next year to help implement Common Core standards.

Administrators are scheduled to make a presentation during the board’s meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, about the books and other resources they would like to buy to teach reading, writing and basic literacy skills. As of Sunday evening, officials said they still plan to meet at the administration center, 203 W. Hillside Road, despite the extreme cold.

Educators began two years ago researching the best practices in literacy instruction and mapping out educational plans for each unit and school year, according to a memo from Jennifer Hester, chief academic officer.

They looked for resources that teach reading, writing, language conventions, vocabulary, speaking and listening and accuracy. Possible textbooks were evaluated based on their compatibility with Common Core standards, the digital tools, teacher resources and assessments they include and whether they are culturally responsive.

Administrators will review the materials proposed for kindergarten through eighth-grade instruction, but the board is not scheduled to vote on them until a meeting later in January.