Review Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 11/15/2017 - 7:00 PM
Category: DIVISION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
Type: Action
Subject: 18.18 National Geographic Learning
District Goals:
Goal 1
To educate all students for academic excellence.
Goal 6
To commit to fiscal accountability.
Enclosure Contract between National Geographic Learning and the Yonkers Public Schools to provide 1334 US History textbooks, 20 teacher editions, and 2145 digital textbook and resource licenses for teachers and students for the 2017-2018 school year as a free pilot of new materials.
File Attachment:
Pilot Agreement for America Through the Lens.docx
National Geographic Learning.docx
BOCS Worksheet for National Geographic Learning.xlsx
Rationale: The Cengage/National Geographic U.S. History textbook and resources, America Through the Lens, 1877-Present, is a textbook aligned to the national and state Social Studies standards. It is a highly engaging textbook that we will be able to pilot as a district during the 2017-2018 school year at no cost to the district. Piloting textbooks in classrooms and supplemental materials allows the school district to thoroughly examine materials to determine if the instructional materials meet the needs of the curriculum, state and local assessments, and content area. A large percentage of the district's US History textbooks are two decades old, this pilot provides our students and teachers with new resources to engage our learners and are current. A careful vetting of instructional materials is good practice prior to making recommendations for purchase. Currently, most of the US History textbooks within our high schools are damaged and out-of-date. The textbook has been reviewed by the Director of Social Studies, the Director of Library Services, and all Social Studies Department chairpersons.
Funding: This is a free pilot program. The district is not financially liable for any lost or damaged texts. The teachers who volunteered to pilot the text and resources will receive delivery of the textbooks for their classrooms and will have free licenses for digital books and resources for themselves and all of their history students. The teachers will provide written and oral feedback on an ongoing basis about the texts and resources to the Director of Social Studies and provide a written evaluation to the publisher at the end of the trial. There is no delivery, pick up, restocking or other fees as part of this pilot program.
Resolution: WHEREAS the Board of Education permits nine secondary schools within the district that have volunteered to test pilot Cengage/National Geographic U.S. History textbooks (2019 edition) and supplemental resources in U.S. History classrooms during the 2017-2018 academic year, and

WHEREAS the textbooks and specifications for the digital resources have been reviewed by the Director of Social Studies, the Director of Library Services, the Director of IT, and Social Studies Chairpersons and determined that the texts provide standards-based (national and state) content and skills in a student-centered engaging manner and that the digital resources will include digital texts (in English and Spanish) and supplemental materials for students and teachers that are aligned to the curriculum and state assessments,

WHEREAS the pilot texts and supplemental digital materials provide a thorough method to review textbooks and ascertain how they may meet the educational needs of the district's students prior to recommending a large-scale purchase,

WHEREAS new textbooks for Social Studies have not been purchased at the secondary level in many years. Many of the U.S. History texts currently used are 20 years old,

WHEREAS there is no cost to the school district to pilot the textbooks and materials and no expectation of purchase. The publisher will deliver the textbooks upon district approval and pick up the textbooks on June 20, 2018.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Board of Education hereby authorizes the Superintendent of Schools to enter into an agreement with National Geographic Learning at no cost to the district for the 2017-2018 school year.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Dawn Bartz - Director of Social Studies PK-12
Signed By:
Roseanne Collins-Judon - Assistant Superintendent
Signed By:
Finance Department - Finance Reviewer
Signed By:
Tom Collich - Purchasing Director
Signed By:
Elizabeth Janocha - Deputy Commissioner
Signed By:
John Liszewski - Commissioner
Signed By:
Michael Curti - Corporation Counsel
Signed By:
Dr._Andrea_S. Coddett - Deputy Superintendent
Signed By:
Dr. Edwin M. Quezada - Superintendent of Schools
Vote Results:

Original Motion
Member Dr._Nader_J. Sayegh Moved, Member John Jacono seconded to approve the Original motion 'WHEREAS the Board of Education permits nine secondary schools within the district that have volunteered to test pilot Cengage/National Geographic U.S. History textbooks (2019 edition) and supplemental resources in U.S. History classrooms during the 2017-2018 academic year, and

WHEREAS the textbooks and specifications for the digital resources have been reviewed by the Director of Social Studies, the Director of Library Services, the Director of IT, and Social Studies Chairpersons and determined that the texts provide standards-based (national and state) content and skills in a student-centered engaging manner and that the digital resources will include digital texts (in English and Spanish) and supplemental materials for students and teachers that are aligned to the curriculum and state assessments,

WHEREAS the pilot texts and supplemental digital materials provide a thorough method to review textbooks and ascertain how they may meet the educational needs of the district's students prior to recommending a large-scale purchase,

WHEREAS new textbooks for Social Studies have not been purchased at the secondary level in many years. Many of the U.S. History texts currently used are 20 years old,

WHEREAS there is no cost to the school district to pilot the textbooks and materials and no expectation of purchase. The publisher will deliver the textbooks upon district approval and pick up the textbooks on June 20, 2018.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Board of Education hereby authorizes the Superintendent of Schools to enter into an agreement with National Geographic Learning at no cost to the district for the 2017-2018 school year.'. Upon a Roll-Call Vote being taken, the vote was: Aye: 8 Nay: 0.
The motion Carried 8 - 0
   
Kevin Cacace     Yes
Andrea Brown     Yes
Pasquale Mondesando     Yes
Edgar Santana     Yes
Rev. Steve Lopez     Yes
Judith_Ramos Meier     Yes
Dr._Nader_J. Sayegh     Yes
John Jacono     Yes