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ELA Updates for K-8

Introduction:
 

In April 2022, following almost a year’s worth of discussion by an English/Language Arts (ELA) subcommittee of the Highland Park ISD Board of Trustees, the district began the process of making a transition to use different anchor resources in K-8 ELA classrooms. This meant phasing out the use of Heinemann Units of Study resources, which were adopted in 2019, and moving toward using materials more closely aligned with the Science of Teaching Reading. 

This webpage is designed to keep parents and stakeholders briefed on the progress of the transition and will be updated regularly.

HPISD teachers work on ELA curriculum  HPISD teachers work on ELA curriculum  HPISD teachers work on ELA curriculum

UPDATES:

January 2, 2023
ELA curriculum guides updated to include 3rd nine-weeks grading period

The Highland Park ISD ELA Family Curriculum Guide website has been updated. An overview of the English Language Arts (ELA) material students in grades K-8 will learn during the 3rd nine-week grading period has been added to the curriculum guide website. The information also offers steps families can take at home to support their student's academic growth. 

 

The ELA Family Curriculum Guide website now contains information for the first, second and third nine-week grading periods. The fourth grading period information is being developed and will be added to the site once it is completed. 

 

October 14, 2022
ELA curriculum update held to inform parents of progress

HPISD hosted an informational meeting Oct. 6 to provide an overview of the revised K-8 literacy framework developed for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR). The update meeting also covered the new ELAR curriculum outline presented by district staff and ELAR consultants Dr. Thea Woodruff and Robyn Hartzell.
 
District teachers and Education Services Department staff began working on the new framework in July. The complete first nine-week grading period framework has been available to families online here since August. HPISD educators have continued to work on the framework for the remaining grading periods.
 
Resources from the meeting are available for HPISD parents.
 

 

September 29, 2022
K-8 ELA curriculum update meeting set for Oct. 6

HPISD will host an informational meeting at the HPISD Clements Leadership Center, located at 6900 Douglas Ave., at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 6 to provide an overview of the revised K-8 literacy framework developed for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR). The update meeting will also cover the ELAR outline of the curriculum work.

District teachers and Education Services Department staff began working on the new framework in July. The complete first nine-week grading period framework has been available to families online since August. HPISD educators have continued to work on the framework for the remaining grading periods.

District staff will be joined by ELAR consultants Dr. Thea Woodruff and Robyn Hartzell. Questions are welcomed. Participants are asked to submit questions via this form by Oct. 5 to ensure time is allotted for Q&A. Click here to download the flyer.

 

August 26
New website with parent resources launches

Highland Park ISD has developed an English Language Arts (ELA) website to give parents an overview of what students in grades K-8 will learn in each nine-week grading period. The site also offers steps families can take at home to support their students' academic growth. 

 

The ELA Family Curriculum Guide website currently contains information for the first nine-week grading period. Additional grading period information is being developed and will be added to the site as it is completed. 

 

 

July 12, 2022
Teachers work with new ELA resources to plan curriculum for first nine-weeks

Highland Park ISD English/Language Arts (ELA) teachers in grades K-8 from all five elementary schools, the intermediate and middle school campuses came together July 6 and 7 to develop the first nine-weeks curriculum map for the new ELA anchor resources. The collaborative work session was part of a series of targeted professional development trainings on the new materials. Read more...

June 21, 2022
HPISD adopts new K-8 ELA materials

New anchor resources for grades K-8 English Language Arts (ELA) have been unanimously adopted by the HPISD Board of Trustees for implementation with the start of the 2022-2023 school year. Read more... 

June 9, 2022
HPISD ELA curriculum review process

Potential ELA materials are available for public review and feedback through 6 p.m. June 19 online or in person at the William P. Clements Leadership Center. Read more...

June 3, 2022
HPISD update summarizes ELA progress

HPISD has engaged the services of two literacy consultants to assist in the selection of a new anchor resource for English Language Arts instruction in grades K-8. The goal is for the new materials to be in place by the beginning of the 2022-23 school year. Read more...

April 1, 2022
English/Language Arts K-8 materials to begin phase out process

Following almost a year’s worth of discussion by a subcommittee of the HPISD Board of Trustees, a recommendation was made this week to begin the process of phasing out the anchor resource currently used by district teachers to assist teaching English/Language Arts in grades K-8. A process will be put in place during the next few months to choose a replacement for the Heinemann Units of Study, which were adopted by the Board in 2019 following a recommendation from a committee of district teachers and administrators.
 
The ELA subcommittee noted that recent developments, including the passage of HB3, the comprehensive education reform bill passed by Texas lawmakers in 2019, necessitate the change to a new resource. The subcommittee, which includes Trustees Maryjane Bonfield, Bryce Benson and Stacy Kelly, is still discussing the timing and process for working with teachers to recommend materials, with the desire to be as minimally disruptive to student learning as possible.
 
 
The ELA subcommittee worked with literacy consultants Dr. Thea Woodruff and Robyn Hartzell to identify a selection of K-8 resources aligned to the Science of Teaching Reading. The HPISD Board of Trustees approved the adoption of the following ELA K-8 materials June 23, 2022.
 
Grades K-3 Systematic Phonics Instruction:
 
Grades K-5 ELA Core Reading and Writing Instruction:
 
Grades 6-8 ELA Core Reading and Writing Instruction:
 
 
The following is an overview of the action steps for the summer work.  
 
  • June 7, 2022: ELA Framework Revision (working session) with Dr. Thea Woodruff.
  • June 8, 2022 (a.m.): Principal and IC Update on ELA work plans with Robyn Hartzell.
  • June 8, 2022 (p.m.): An overview of Science of Reading and the work of the ELA subcommittee.  Introduction to expedited materials selection process and material selection rubrics with Robyn Hartzell.
  • June 9, 2022: Vendor presentations for core reading/writing and phonics resources for staff. 
  • June 9, 2022 - June 19, 2022: Window for providing feedback about materials under consideration for staff. Feedback is due June 19, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
  • June 13, 2022 - June 19, 2022:  Window for providing feedback about materials under consideration for parents (materials available June 13 - June 16 at the William P. Clements Leadership Center).  Feedback deadline is June 19, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
  • June 20, 2022: Material recommendations announced based on staff feedback; will be subject to board approval.
  • June 22, 2022: Review and revise current instructional practices related to grammar, instruction, and rigor. 
  • June 29, 2022 - June 30, 2022: Instructional Coaches review the scope and sequence along with writing unit shells with Robyn Hartzell.
  • July 6, 2022 - July 7, 2022: Unit development with teachers within the revised ELAR Framework and Scope and Sequence with Robyn Hartzell.
  • July 28, 2022: Dr. Thea Woodruff and Robyn Hartzell provide an ELA update and overview of the process with principals. 
  • August 8, 2022: Vendor training on the core ELA resource selected for K-3 Teachers.
 
**Because the Phonics Program and the Core Reading/Writing Program for K-5 are the same vendor, all training will be on August 12, 2022.
 
  • August 10, 2022: Update on ELA adoption, framework, and curriculum work for all K-8 ELA teachers, special programs teachers, ESL teachers, specialists, instructional coaches, and administrators with Robyn Hartzell.
  • August 11, 2022: Language and teaching: Phonology / Orthography / Morphology with Dr. Thea Woodruff.
  • August 16, 2022: Vendor-provided phonics Resource Training for K-3 Teachers and vendor-provided training on the core ELA resource selected for 4-8 ELA teachers.
 
HPISD Teachers, principals, and instructional coaches may click here for more information.