C&I Initiatives Dashboard

High School Living Earth Science: Textbook Adoption

Living Earth - A Living Earth Framework Group will be convened in fall 2023 to review the updated Living Earth course frameworks and create a scope and sequence for instruction based on the framework. An adoption process will occur after creation or the scope and sequence.

A work group will be convening in Fall 2023 for teachers to review the framework for this course and create a scope and sequence. An adoption process will occur after creation or the scope and sequence.

FUSD went through a two-year secondary core novels adoption process for grades 7-12 to create a collection of literature that provides students with a variety of variety of genres, writing styles, time periods, cultures, and relevant themes from the perspective of diverse authors and characters, including historically underrepresented groups. In the spring of 20222, the Board adopted the new Secondary Core Novels list.

This year, with the middle school transition complete, C&I convened a team of 6th grade ELA teachers to participate in the work of selecting core novels for Grade 6 to complete the secondary core literature collection.  Each middle school English Department and SurfBoardE were provided the opportunity to nominate novels for consideration.

The Grade 6 Core Novels Committee met on March 12, 2024 and reviewed the 15 titles that were nominated.  They narrowed down the selection to five titles.  The community is welcomed to provide comments on the titles still under consideration:

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

The Misfits by James Howe

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Community comments may be shared starting March 18, 2024 - April 16, 2024 at 3:00 pm using this form.

In the fall, the committee will reconvene to select the final two novels that will be brought to the Board for approval.

On October 8, 2023, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 285. This new law requires science instruction on climate change in grades 1-6 and 7-12. The law states that an emphasis on the causes and effects of climate change and ways to mitigate and adapt to its effects should be taught.

FUSD’s Curriculum and Instruction formed a Climate Literacy and Environmental Education Network in 2021 to identify and map where climate literacy and environmental education occur in the existing curriculum K-12. This network is currently working to create climate literacy resources for teachers in grades TK-12.

On September 30, 2023, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 800. This new law requires public high schools to annually observe a Workplace Readiness Week including April 28th and to provide information to students on their rights as workers when applying for a work permit. The law also designates specific topics that should be covered in grades 11 and 12 that align with the history-social science framework.

FUSD's Curriculum & Instruction Department has reviewed the current adopted core curriculum and will be sharing with teachers where in the textbooks the topics are covered.

Development of instructional resources aligned to the California K-12 Science Framework.

In response to FUSD Board Resolution 030-2021, C&I has formed a Climate Literacy and Environmental Education Network (CLEEN) that is comprised of teachers and students from across the district that continue to meet in the 2023-2024 school year. The group is identifying and mapping where climate literacy and environmental education occur in the existing curriculum K-12  and begin to outline a plan/recommendations of additional resources and opportunities to achieve the vision of the resolution. Click here to learn more about CLEEN.

The C&I Department continues to offer a Climate Literacy & Environmental Education professional development series and a Garden Network series that is open to any FUSD teacher.  The purpose for both series is to build awareness about climate and environmental literacy through engaging hands-on learning opportunities throughout the district and community.

On May 8. 2024, the Board approved the slant manuscript and cursive curriculum adoption for grades K-3 and the transition and implementation plan that was developed by a team of FUSD teachers that represented grades K-6.

The community may learn more about FUSD's transition and implementation plan using this link

World Languages Curriculum Adoption for Chinese 1, 2, 3 & 4.

On March 27, 2024, the Board approved the recommendation to adopt Integrated Chinese, 4th edition (2016, Cheng & Tsui) as the new core curriculum for Chinese Levels 1-4.

Professional development for teachers will be offered in June and August, 2024.

World Languages Curriculum Adoption for Spanish 1, 2, 3, and 4 and French 1, 2, and 3.

On April 17, 2024, the Board approved the recommendation to adopt the following as the new core curriculum:

French 1 (middle school): Chemins 1 (2023, Vista Higher Learning)

French 1 (high school): D'Accord (2024, Vista Higher Learning)

French 2-3: D'Accord (2024, Vista Higher Learning)

Spanish 1-3: Senderos (2023, Vista Higher Learning)

Spanish 4: Imagina, 5th edition (2023, Vista Higher Learning)

Professional development for teachers will be offered in June and August, 2024.

On May 8. 2024, the Board approved the Board approved the adoption of the California Ethnic Studies Collection by Newsela for the new Grade 9 Introduction to Ethnic Studies course which will be offered at all FUSD high schools for the 2024-25 school year.

FUSD is ahead of the requirements outlined in Assembly Bill 101 which requires districts to offer this course starting with the 2025-26 school year and the completion of a one-semester Ethnic Studies course for all students graduating in the class of 2030 and beyond.

The FUSD Ethnic Studies workgroup reviewed the state's Ethnic Studies Model curriculum and developed the district's Introduction to Ethnic Studies course which aligns to the graduation requirements.  The community can click here to learn more about this new course.   Translations are available in Mandarin and Spanish.

This one-semester course will be paired with the one-semester Health graduation requirement.  Any questions can be submitted using this link.

On May 8, 2024, the Board approved the recommendation to the following curriculum for the following courses along with Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS)

• CC1 (6th): Reveal Math Course 1 (2020, McGraw Hill)

• CC2 (7th): Reveal Math Course 2 (2020, McGraw Hill)

• CC2/CC3 (7th): Reveal Math Course 2 and 3 (2020, McGraw Hill)

• CC3 (8th): Reveal Math Course 3 (2020, McGraw Hill)

• CC3/Alg 1 (8th): Reveal Math Course 3 (2020, McGraw Hill) and Big Ideas Math Algebra 1 (2013, Cengage) which is aligned to what high school Algebra 1 is currently using

Professional Development for teachers will be offered in June and August, 2024.

On December 13, 2023, the Board approved the adoption committee's recommendation to adopt Galeria 2 (2020, Vista Higher Learning) for the Spanish 3 for Spanish Speakers course.

On December 13, 2023 the BoE approved the committee’s recommendation of Fundamentals of Physics - AP Edition (2018) by David Halliday, Jearl Walker, and Robert Resnick, Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/John Wiley & Sons.

Prisms VR is a supplemental virtual reality math program for Grade 7 and 8 Math classes in FUSD that provides personalized learning for students. During the pilot, teachers will have opportunities to integrate Prisms VR into their instruction to support student learning that aligns to the new California Math Frameworks.

Cohort 1 Update:

The 44 teachers in Cohort 1 have successfully completed Year 1 of their professional learning around the science of reading and have been engaged and thoughtful in shifting instructional practices in their classrooms. Year 2 will begin in August 2024.

Cohort 2 Formed!

Through a partnership with the Department of Federal & State Programs, a cohort of 40 teachers spanning grades K-5 from across the district will begin their Year 1 of LETRS Science of Reading professional learning in the 2024-25 school year.

Principal Cohort Formed!

A cohort of 12 elementary principals from across the district will begin their Year 1 LETRS for Administrators professional learning in the 2024025 school year.

Since August 2022, 13 middle and high school teachers are part of a community of practice focusing on math instructional strategies to better support English Learners and students struggling in mathematics. This joint partnership between Silicon Valley Math Initiative, Lawrence Hall of Science Center for Equity in Mathematics and Fremont Unified involves a summer institute followed by collaborative lesson design, classroom observations, and coaching support from mathematics teaching experts.

Cohort 3 Starting!

We have collaborated with the Department of Federal & State Programs to provide two new professional learning opportunities in SVMI-LHS.

We will provide a third SVMI-LHS-FUSD cohort with up to 12 middle school and high school teachers dedicated to enhancing math instructional techniques to provide improved support for English Learners and students facing challenges in mathematics. Title 1 schools and attendance areas will be given preference during the selection process as this cohort is being funded by Title 1 funds.

The second opportunity will be a summer only institute for up to 20 elementary teachers focusing on math instructional strategies that support our multi-language learners and struggling students in mathematics.