Teaching and Learning
Welcome to Teaching and Learning!
The teaching and learning department is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating the educational programs that are offered to students in the district. This department the curriculum, including content, assessments, and instructional strategies, and provides ongoing support to teachers and staff to ensure that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver high-quality instruction.
The department also works to ensure that all students receive an equitable education that meets their unique needs and helps them to achieve their full potential. This includes identifying and addressing achievement gaps, supporting the needs of students with disabilities, and providing resources and services to multi-language learners.
In addition to curriculum and instruction, the teaching and learning department is responsible for overseeing the professional development of teachers and staff, ensuring that they have access to ongoing job-embedded coaching and professional learning that helps them to stay current on best practices and emerging trends in education.
Curriculum Adoption
About every seven years, school districts go through an adoption process for primary curriculum. During the 2023-24 school year, Salt Lake City School District complete the review process for a new elementary English/Language Arts curriculum, a new secondary Mathematics curriculum, and a new secondary ELD curriculum. This process is conducted by teams of administrators, parents, and educators. The committees are dedicated to ensuring the voice of all schools and educators were represented.
Each member of the committee spends 25+ hours over the 3-month process to determine the key indicators of a high-quality program that would meet the needs of district educators and students and review the responses and materials that were submitted from each vendor. 75% of the points are awarded for the quality of the curriculum, and 25% are awarded based on the cost effectiveness of the program.
After the committees award the 75% of points for the quality of the program, the district holds an Open House to display the programs that have been determined to meet the required qualifications for adoption by the district. After the Open House, the Purchasing Department will calculate the 25% of the points for the cost of the programs into the final score. When the highest scoring program is determined, we will announce the information for the new programs on the appropriate pages.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
-Nelson Mandela