HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The USD 308 Board of Education Monday approved a math textbook adoption for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Beginning with the 2016-17 school year, K-5 classrooms will use the Pearson Envision Math 2.0. The board’s action caps off 15 months of research by teachers and administration from all eight district elementary schools. The K-5 Task Force studied best practices for math instruction and decided Envision Math 2.0 met the criteria for best practices and aligns with the Task Force and district’s beliefs and commitments.
Cost of the K-5 adoption is $362,060.49, which will be paid from the district’s textbook fund. The math textbook adoption for grades six through 12 is expected to occur at the April 25 Board meeting.
By the time math adoption for the higher grades takes place, the cost for textbooks, supporting materials and professional development will total about $1 million. The district saves money each year into a specific fund to pay for the costs associated with a new textbook adoption because it cannot afford to pay the costs in one year.
Also Monday night, the board approved the Blue Cross Blue Shield renewal for staff health insurance for 2016-17. The rates have dropped 2.5 percent compared to 2015-16, which will be passed on to district employees. This is the fourth year in a row in which premiums have held steady or decreased in the district.
The district has a partially self-funded health insurance plan. For the past several years, district staff has focused on educating employees to make them better consumers of health care, implemented a wellness program and structured the plan to encourage the wise use of health care dollars.
The district offers employees two options, a traditional shared pay plan and a high-deductible plan.