Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and current public health guidance, AUSD offered families two instructional programs for the 2020-2021 school year:

• A Flexible Learning Program that provided either in-person or Distance Learning (depending on regional health conditions); and

• A Remote Learning Program that provided online instruction for the entire school year. The Remote Program was designed primarily for families who had concerns about the safety and health of their students and/or family members with in-person instruction during the pandemic.

On August 24, 2020, staff began hearing reports of Acellus, the primary online curriculum that had been chosen for the Remote Learning Program, as having racist, sexist, and homophobic content, which was not in alignment with AUSD’s core values. 

On September 8, 2020, upon recommendation by staff, the AUSD Board of Education approved Edmentum Exact Path, Courseware, and Study Island, an online program that supports standards-based, self-paced learning, to replace Acellus for the 2020-2021 Remote Learning Program. On September 21, 2020 Edmentum went live.

Recently, staff have received concerns from families about this curriculum and are working quickly to respond, adjust as needed, and improve the experience for our students and families. Tonight staff will share with the Board concerns that have been brought to their attention by the community, and how these concerns are being addressed.