School Board work session - April 13, 2026

The Anoka-Hennepin Educational Service Center held a school board work session on April 13, 2026, focusing primarily on updates to K-12 literacy plans and curriculum adoption processes. The board reviewed detailed data from the CAPY Read Basics assessment, a state-mandated literacy screener for grades 4-12, highlighting areas where students require additional support, particularly in word recognition and decoding skills. Discussions emphasized the need for evidence-based literacy interventions and training for educators, with plans to implement multi-syllabic word reading strategies and ongoing teacher development. The session also covered the curriculum adoption process for social studies, addressing challenges related to aligning materials with new standards and ensuring evidence-based instructional practices. Board members expressed concerns about the sufficiency of current rubrics and standards, advocating for stronger integration of cognitive science and direct instruction principles in curriculum selection. Additionally, the board received a briefing on the 2026 property, liability, and cyber insurance renewal, noting competitive bids and premium changes, with approval slated for a future meeting. The session concluded with announcements of community and student activities and moved into a closed session for labor negotiation strategies.