Curriculum & Instruction

Immigrant and multilingual students and families bring rich cultural and linguistic resources to our schools. Our goal is to affirm and strengthen students’ cultural identities while supporting them in reaching higher levels of language proficiency and confidence in their classes. Learn more here.

RSD's Gifted and Talented Program, is designed to nurture and challenge the exceptional abilities of our brightest young minds. Through tailored curriculum, out-of-building enrichment experiences, and specialized support, we foster an environment where highly motivated students thrive. See more on our Gifted & Talented page here.

Together with the Board of Education Curriculum & PR Committee, the Department of Curriculum & Instruction works to keep the RSD curriculum innovative, engaging, and aligned with state standards. The instructional material adoption process follows these steps:

• The Director of Curriculum and Instruction and teachers on the reviewed subject conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to identify curriculum gaps, teaching goals, and student requirements. They consider factors such as alignment with educational standards, relevance to diverse learner needs, instructional quality, and accessibility.
• The review team reviews samples, and, where applicable conduct trials.
• They gather feedback from various stakeholders, especially classroom teachers trialing the materials.
• After rigorous evaluation, recommendations are made to the Board of Education's Curriculum and PR Committee and district leadership for final approval.
• The chosen instructional materials are adopted across classrooms and teachers are trained in implementing the materials.
• Ongoing assessment and feedback loops ensure continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving educational needs.

• LETRS: The Lexia LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) Suite is comprehensive professional learning designed to provide early childhood and elementary educators and administrators with deep knowledge to be literacy and language experts in the science of reading. LETRS teaches the skills needed to master the foundational and fundamentals of reading and writing instruction—phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and written language.
• Educator Effectiveness (EE): Training focused on refining teaching practices, assessing student progress, and using data-driven methods to enhance overall instructional effectiveness.
• Professional Learning Communities (PLC): Collaborative training fostering a culture of shared learning among educators, emphasizing collaboration, data analysis, and instructional improvement within a supportive community.
• GRIP (Graduation Rate Improvement Plan): A targeted training program designed to enhance strategies and interventions aimed at improving graduation rates, focusing on tailored approaches to support student success and increase overall graduation rates within the district.

• iReady: An adaptive assessment tool that evaluates students' skills in math and reading, providing personalized learning paths.

• LETRS Phonics Screening: A screening assessment designed to evaluate students' phonics and decoding skills, aiding in early literacy identification and intervention.

• SABRS: Student Assessment of Behavior Regulation and Social Skills, assessing students' social-emotional competencies and behavior regulation abilities.

• Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR): The Achievement Gap Reduction (AGR) program employs data-driven interventions, inclusive teaching strategies, community involvement, and ongoing assessment to target and narrow academic disparities among diverse student populations within the district.

• GRIP (Graduation Rate Improvement Plan): Assessments tailored to track and analyze factors influencing graduation rates, aiding in the development of strategies to enhance graduation rates.

• Response to Intervention (RTI): An assessment framework identifying students' academic and behavioral needs, providing tiered interventions based on their individual requirements.

• Check and Connect Program: An assessment-driven intervention program monitoring students' academic progress and engagement while providing personalized support and connections to improve attendance and achievement.