C&I Initiatives Dashboard

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 using this form until October 25th, 2024.

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.

High School Living Earth Science: Textbook Adoption

A Living Earth Adoption Committee formed in May 2024 started to review Living Earth curricula aligned with NGSS and the California Framework.

The adoption committee is currently diving deep into two curricula:

• Savvas - Experience Biology

• Activate Learning - Open Sci Ed

Teachers will pilot the curricula from October 2024 - March 2025.

A Physics in the Universe Adoption Committee formed in May 2024 started to review Physics in the Universe curricula aligned with NGSS and the California Framework.

The adoption committee is currently diving deep into two curricula:

• Kognity - Physics in the Universe

• Activate Learning - Open Sci Ed

Teachers will pilot the curricula from October 2024 - March 2025.

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.

The district Ethnic Studies committee will be reviewing  resources for core curricula in preparation for the required course for the graduating class of 2030.

Click here to learn more about CLEAN.

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.

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

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 has begun and teachers will have their first in-person session in October.

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, 28 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:

10 middle school and high school teachers are dedicating time to enhance math instructional techniques to provide improved support for English Learners and students facing challenges in mathematics.