Board of Education - Work and Special Sessions - May 13th 2026

The Garden City Public Schools Board of Education held a work and special session on May 12, 2026, focusing primarily on the review and pilot evaluation of literacy curriculum resources for grades K-5. The board discussed detailed feedback from teachers, administrators, families, and students on the Amplify CKLA, My View Literacy, and Benchmark Advance programs, highlighting strengths in vocabulary and oral language development but concerns about differentiation and foundational skills support. Based on the pilot data, the board decided not to continue with Amplify CKLA for grades K-3 due to insufficient support for all learners. The meeting also included a budget overview for the 2026-2027 school year, emphasizing alignment with district priorities, resource optimization through cooperative bidding and consortia, and capital projects such as new art and physics classrooms funded by a bond. The proposed budget totaled approximately $142.4 million, with a significant portion allocated to instructional programs. The board reviewed contingency plans if the budget vote fails and reminded the community of the upcoming May 19th budget vote and trustee election. A consent agenda covering personnel and business office matters was approved by unanimous vote. Discussions also touched on balancing technology use in libraries with promoting reading and writing skills.