LADY BUDGETDOWN HAS A NEW QUESTION.
It started with a breadcrumb from Troy.
Then another one arrived from Midland.
Both said essentially the same thing:
"Our district is still using Lucy Calkins."
So I went looking.
And yes, there are receipts.
Troy School District has current district materials tied to Lucy Calkins/Teachers College Units of Study.
Midland Public Schools implemented Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Units of Study, including reading, writing and phonics materials.
Birmingham Public Schools has also documented Lucy Calkins Units of Study in its elementary instructional resources.
And Rochester Community Schools' own Board discussed its Lucy Calkins curriculum in 2023 — including removing problematic lessons and old cueing strategies from it.
So now I have questions.
Michigan has since changed its literacy laws and developed a list of evidence-based Tier 1 elementary reading curricula aligned with the science of reading.
Lucy Calkins' Units of Study is not on that list.
That does not mean Michigan has "banned" Lucy Calkins.
It also does not automatically mean a district currently using some of those materials is violating Michigan law. Districts have until the 2027–28 school year to comply with the new requirements, and Michigan does not necessarily require districts to choose a curriculum from the state's Tier 1 list.
Which makes the ledger considerably more interesting.
For districts still using Lucy Calkins/Units of Study:
📜 What portions are they still using?
📜 Is it the district's core reading curriculum, supplemental material, or simply older materials still sitting in classrooms?
📜 Have districts modified the curriculum to remove methods that don't align with current reading research?
📜 What are they spending on the curriculum, materials, training and consultants today?
📜 What is their plan for 2027–28?
And perhaps the simplest question:
If a district is still spending money on it today, what exactly are taxpayers buying?
I don't have those answers yet.
But two separate readers, from two separate districts, sent essentially the same breadcrumb.
So I followed it.
And apparently Lucy brought friends.
👑 Lady Budgetdown
With receipts and respect.