News Details

Sunnyvale, CA — The Sunnyvale School District Board of Education unanimously adopted a new K-5 literacy curriculum at its June 4 meeting, following an intensive, year-long pilot. The initiative brought together teachers, students, families, administrators, and district leaders to evaluate and review instructional materials intended to build strong literacy foundations and expand students’ knowledge in history, science, literature, culture, and the arts.

At the core of the new curriculum are Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Caminos, and Language Studio—three programs that together offer a comprehensive literacy journey spanning English Language Arts, Spanish Language Arts, and English Language Development. Aligned with the Science of Reading, these programs blend rigorous foundational instruction with immersive, knowledge-rich content, cultivating students not only as readers and writers, but as discerning thinkers equipped to engage critically with the world.

The Board’s decision followed months of classroom experimentation, iterative analysis, and collective reflection, guided by a dedicated team of elementary educators who piloted the materials throughout the 2025-26 school year and continuously refined their practice in pursuit of an optimal learning experience.

During Board discussion, Héctor González Rodas, a fifth-grade Juntos Program teacher, shared his experience implementing the materials during the pilot.

"The curriculum's rich content, deep background knowledge and multilingual scaffolds allow me to bridge equity gaps in the classroom around history, science and culture," González Rodas said.

He described students as highly engaged throughout the lessons, noting that they learned about emotions in English before extending their learning in Spanish. He also highlighted the curriculum's ability to provide personalized support while giving students access to rigorous content across history, science and culture.

"Our teachers thoughtfully evaluated each program through the lens of student engagement, literacy development, multilingual learner support and academic rigor," said Kathryn Armstrong, Coordinator of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. "Their commitment to students guided every step of this recommendation. We are incredibly grateful to the educators who dedicated countless hours to piloting materials, providing feedback and helping shape this recommendation on behalf of Sunnyvale students."

Family and community engagement were integral to the pilot. Throughout the year, the District hosted curriculum overview webinars, invited families to review digital and print instructional materials, and gathered feedback through surveys and other engagement opportunities. These efforts were designed to inform families about the curriculum options and provide opportunities for feedback throughout the pilot.

After the presentation, trustees voiced admiration for the educators whose expertise and feedback shaped the pilot, emphasizing the imperative of centering teacher voices in such consequential decisions. Their remarks underscored a shared excitement for the District’s pivot toward a knowledge-rich curriculum, and a recognition of the ongoing, substantial effort required to sustain such transformative change.

"These materials represent more than a new curriculum," Sunnyvale School District Superintendent Gudiel R. Crosthwaite, Ph.D., said. "They provide our students with opportunities to build strong literacy skills while developing the knowledge, curiosity and critical thinking needed for success in school and beyond. We look forward to continuing this work throughout the summer to ensure our teachers have the training, resources and support they need to feel confident and prepared when they return for the 2026-27 school year."