We write to urge the Board to direct the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to implement the Enriched Literacy Curriculum in both fourth and fifth grade classrooms in all remaining elementary schools in fall 2023. Further, we request that the Board ensure that necessary funding is available: (1) to purchase all required ELC learning materials, and (2) to provide mandatory professional learning for fourth and fifth grade teachers, and elementary school administrators, on the ELC curriculum to ensure the program is implemented in all schools beginning in fall 2023.

We are enthusiastic about the Enriched Literacy Curriculum (ELC), which provides advanced, rigorous instruction to fourth and fifth grade students, using acclaimed programs such as Jacob’s Ladder Reading Comprehension Program, Junior Great Books, William and Mary Language Arts Units, and Lucy Calkins Unit of Study in Writing. Currently, ELC is provided at 64 elementary schools, out of 136 elementary schools in MCPS. A key advantage of the Enriched Literacy Curriculum is that it is delivered through the student’s home school. It does not require a student to be selected to attend a “magnet” school housing a Center for Enriched Studies, which currently accommodate limited numbers of students who qualify for enrichment.

We are pleased that MCPS intends to implement ELC in nearly all remaining elementary schools in Fall 2023. However, we are troubled that the current proposal for the 2023-2024 school year provides that the ELC program will be offered to only fourth grade students. This approach would deprive students in fifth grade during the 2023–2024 school year of the opportunity to benefit from this high-quality enrichment program. Currently, in classrooms with 25-27 students, many teachers have difficulty differentiating effectively to meet every student’s needs using the current curriculum. Implementation of ELC in both the fourth and fifth grades will ensure that all children are challenged to progress and succeed at the highest level at their local elementary school.

Implementation of ELC in both fourth and fifth grade classrooms next year also would be an efficient use of MCPS resources. We understand that MCPS likely will have a new elementary English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum this fall. It does not make sense to train all fifth grade teachers to implement a new ELA curriculum this summer, and then require some of the same teachers to prepare to implement another brand new curriculum, the ELC, during the following year. It is most efficient to prepare upper elementary teachers to provide high quality classroom instruction using the ELC program this summer, when they already are learning a new curriculum.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.