Salem School Board to Consider New Reading Curriculum

The district plans to roll out the new materials in the fall with summer training for teachers.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Salem-Keizer School Board will vote on adopting a new reading curriculum for the district's elementary schools. District leaders say the current materials do not provide strong enough phonics lessons, and the new 'Into Reading' curriculum from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt will better serve students, especially those learning to read in Spanish.

Why it matters

Improving reading outcomes has been a major priority for the Salem-Keizer School District, which has struggled with low reading proficiency rates. Adopting a new, more comprehensive curriculum is seen as a key step to addressing this issue and ensuring all students have access to high-quality reading instruction.

The details

The school board will vote on the new 'Into Reading' curriculum, which has been tested in classrooms this year. The $11 million program will provide materials in both English and Spanish. District leaders say the current curriculum lacks strong phonics lessons, and teachers have had to rely on outside supplemental materials. The new curriculum is expected to be a better fit, especially for the district's growing population of students learning to read in Spanish.

  • The school board will take an initial vote on the curriculum on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
  • The district plans to roll out the new curriculum in the fall of 2026.
  • Teachers will receive summer training on the new materials before the rollout.

The players

Andrea Castañeda

Superintendent of the Salem-Keizer School District, who has said poor and inconsistent curriculum is a major reason the district has struggled with reading proficiency.

Tom Charboneau

An administrator overseeing elementary reading and curriculum in the Salem-Keizer School District, who is excited about the new materials and says teachers have been asking for a curriculum update for years.

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What they’re saying

“I am super excited and I think most of our elementary teachers are very excited as well.”

— Tom Charboneau, Administrator overseeing elementary reading and curriculum (salemreporter.com)

“They were not happy with the way it was rolled out, they were not happy with the training. They're finally getting something new, it's a lot more comprehensive, it checks a lot more boxes.”

— Tom Charboneau, Administrator overseeing elementary reading and curriculum (salemreporter.com)

What’s next

The school board will finalize its selection of the new reading curriculum at a later meeting following the initial vote on March 10, 2026.

The takeaway

Adopting a new, more comprehensive reading curriculum is a critical step for the Salem-Keizer School District as it works to improve reading proficiency rates among its students, particularly those learning to read in Spanish. The district's investment in this initiative reflects its commitment to ensuring all students have access to high-quality literacy instruction.