The English Learner Program/Curriculum and Instruction K-8 Department falls under the umbrella of the Instructional Services Division. It exists to provide curricular and instructional support to teachers and sites to ensure that our students are receiving a high quality educational experience.

Our department provides comprehensive support and leadership to assist students, staff, parents, and community members in achieving our district's goals, particularly, academic achievement for all students. Our students are provided with a standards-based curriculum delivered through a variety of instructional strategies, which will prepare them to be responsible citizens in a knowledge-based global society.

This department oversees and directs eight (7) programs/offices that support our schools in the areas of: AVID, BTSA, ELD, GATE, PAR, Math/Science, and Textbooks. For specific program updates or information, please click on one of our departmental programs above for further information.
 

The students at the Strategic Level (Tier 2) in the RTI model receive targeted instruction in grades 6 – 8.  These students are instructed in the core language arts program (Holt) and also obtain an additional separate component of language arts with the r&L Books program.  This targeted instruction is designed to assist students in the Strategic Level (Tier 2), with the intent of progressing to the Basic Level (Tier 1), in a more accelerated manner.  Students are assessed in an ongoing method to monitor progression.  Once a student is assessed at Basic (Tier 1), they are placed accordingly.

Students who are assessed at the Intensive Level (Tier 3) are instructed in language arts with the California Gateways Program.  The core program, Houghton-Mifflin, is not administered with Intensive Level (Tier 3) students until they have progressed into the Strategic Level (Tier 2).  The main concentration of the California Gateways Program is to accelerate reading skills and advance students to the core program.  Assessments are administered in an ongoing manner to determine advancement.
 

The Teacher Lead Project was formed in 2009-2010 to promote teacher leadership, and build capacity in Academic Language Development (ALD) and presentation skills.  Teachers represented from every site come together four times a year to receive professional development in ALD.  The responsibilities of the Teacher Leads is to design and deliver ALD professional development for their colleagues and serve as a contact person for the ELPF/C&I K-8 Department.  The elementary level presentations are conducted by Silvia Lezama, ELD Coach, and Lupe Sanchez, TOSA.  Aida Hinojosa, TOSA, and Art Navar, TOSA, conduct the professional development at the intermediate level.  All of the professional development presenters serve as site support, as well.
The professional development administered centers around ALD strategies, student work, observations and demos, professional readings, and planning time.  Silvia Lezama, Dr. Eugenia Mora, Dr. Dolores Beltran, and Dr. Lilia Sarmiento have developed the ALD content.  This long-time collaboration has provided the district with a wealth of information, which serves as the principal input for designing MUSD ALD trainings.