Education & Pupil Services Committee Meeting: November 2025

The Education & Pupil Services Committee of the Upper Darby School District held a meeting on June 29, 2026, focusing primarily on staffing challenges, student achievement, and curriculum adoption. A significant portion of the discussion addressed the growing needs for specialized staffing to support English Learners (EL) and students requiring autistic support, highlighting a decline in certified teacher availability and the district's efforts to recruit and retain qualified educators. The committee reviewed detailed enrollment and attendance data, emphasizing the impact of student transiency and absenteeism on instructional consistency. A key procurement-related item was the recommendation and planned adoption of new elementary English Language Arts (ELA) textbooks, specifically the "Really Great Reading" and "Arts and Letters" programs, with a proposed six-year adoption costing approximately $2.9 million. The board reached consensus to move forward with the textbook adoption for a formal vote and also agreed to explore options for complying with Act 80 to improve scheduling flexibility and support staff recruitment and retention. Additionally, the committee discussed the timeline for revising the district's three-year special education strategic plan, with no immediate procurement actions but plans for stakeholder engagement and future board approval.