New science curriculum considered for Hartselle schools
For the Enquirer
Hartselle City Schools is in the final stages of choosing new science textbooks for grades K-12. A final decision is expected by the March 18 board meeting that will be open to the public.
In 2023, the Alabama Board of Education adopted a new course of study for Alabama science standards resulting in the need for updated curriculum resources. The last update to Alabama science standards was in 2015. The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) released an approved list of textbooks and materials in the fall from which local school districts could choose and purchase. Hartselle took an extra step to narrow the approved list further through the work of a local district textbook committee, made up of HCS teachers, leaders, and stakeholders.
The school district hosted a three-day open house from Feb. 10-12 for the community to review the new textbook options under consideration as well. Tina Towers, Hartselle’s elementary curriculum coordinator, and Dr. Josh Swindall, the secondary curriculum coordinator, were available for questions. Swindall said Hartselle is unique in offering a public review period for potential textbooks and is thankful that Alabama offers a “two-filtered approach” when selecting a new curriculum. The first being at the state level, ensuring approved materials align with Alabama standards, and then the second at the district level, allowing local school systems to select materials that best meet their needs. Towers said teachers are the experts, and their voice will be a major consideration in the final recommendation decision coming from the textbook review committee.
Towers explained it is more than just textbooks that assist with meeting the state standards when teaching students. The ALSDE also sends AMSTI kits to schools that include science experiments, labs, and additional material for teachers to utilize in the science curriculum. She went on to say that all standards are not found in one textbook and that the teachers are given the “best materials to teach the standards.” When the school district looks over the available material, they are doing so with the understanding that one book may not contain everything the state approves for the classroom. This is why additional items like the AMSTI Kits and additional resources can help fill those gaps. HCS teachers ultimately teach the Alabama Science Course of Study Standards. Teachers use multiple resources which will include the newly adopted materials, state-provided AMSTI kits, and other teachercreated materials.
There were two tables set up for the open house with the new material to be viewed. In addition to the texts, there were workbooks for older chil-dren and readers for the younger grades. Some companies were designed to grow with children through different grades with similar layouts for a more seamless transition. All included what one would expect from textbooks, with vocabulary words showcased and experiments included for each grade.
