Richardson ISD approves new instructional materials for district pre-K program

Richardson ISD's pre-K program will have new instructional materials during the 2021-22 school year following approval of the district recommendation by the board of trustees during its April 5 meeting.

The recommendation of the Frog Street Pre-K materials for the program came from the RISD Instructional Material Allotment Committee, which was chaired by Monica Simonds, RISD director of advanced learning programs and services.

“It met 100% of [the Texas Education Agency]’s criteria,” Simonds said of the program. “Other reasons for the selection included the resources having components that are culturally responsive, adaptations for learners with special needs, supports for English learners, social-emotional learning and balanced literacy components.”

District staff explained the Frog Street Pre-K program will be paid for through the instructional materials allotment in the district’s current budget.

With the board’s approval, Simonds said, the district’s literacy and interventions pre-K team will begin designing and implementing corresponding professional learning for teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators.

“To see that we've adopted a very complex curriculum for our smallest kiddos, to me, is very affirming of the work that we do,” trustee Kim Caston said of the instructional materials chosen for the pre-K program. “And that we do mean that it starts the first day that they walk through the first door of their experience in RISD.”