Grades K-5 English Language Arts (ELA) Instructional Materials Adoption 2025-2026
Grades K-5 English Language Arts (ELA) Instructional Materials Adoption
The English Language Arts (ELA) content area of Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction is launching a K-5 ELA Instructional Materials Adoption in the 2025-26 school year. The instructional materials adoption process will follow the Seattle Public Schools Selection and Adoption of Instructional Materials, Policy No. 2015. If approved by the Seattle School Board, the new instructional materials will be ready for implementation by the 2026-27 school year.
K-5 English Language Arts Curriculum Adoption: Community Review Round One
The ELA Adoption Committee invites all members of our school community to take part in reviewing proposed K–5 English Language Arts curricula. Your feedback is important and will help guide the committee’s recommendation.
There are 8 curriculum submissions. You are welcome to review as many or as few as you’d like—every contribution helps. One idea is to start with the one that interests you the most.
How to Participate:
- Consider the following categories for your review: culturally responsive practices, anti-bias and sensitivity, science of reading/foundational reading skills, science of reading/comprehension, building knowledge, writing, oral language skills and discussion, standards alignment, assessment, accessibility, and usability.
- Choose a vendor to review.
- Watch the vendor’s overview video to see what the student experience might look like.
- Open the instructional materials link. Select one grade level and review a unit or two.
- Complete the feedback survey once you feel prepared to answer the questions. Each question includes a comment section, and we encourage you to include examples to support your responses.
Feedback Surveys
- Staff Feedback Survey
- Community/Family Feedback Survey
- Feedback Survey – Somali
- Feedback Survey – Amharic
- Feedback Survey – Simplified Chinese
- Feedback Survey – Traditional Chinese
- Feedback Survey – Vietnamese
- Feedback Survey – Spanish
Round 1 Curriculums
K-5 ELA Adoption Timeline
March/April 2025: Funds for adoption process approved
April 1-4 2025: Request for Information released
April 1-4 2025: Adoption Committee applications open
May 2, 2025: RFI closed
May 2, 2025: Committee applications close
May 9, 2025: Committee members selected
May 12-16, 2025: IMC meets to review/approve timeline, committee members, and
communication plan
May 13, 2025: Needs assessment for teachers, family, community launched
May 19, 2025: Adoption Committee members notified of acceptance to the committee
May 23, 2025: Needs assessment for teachers, family, community closes
May 31 & June 7, 11 (PM), 14, 2025: Committee meets and develops selection criteria
categories and develops rubrics
June 16-18, 2025: Selection criteria approved by IMC
July 21, 2025: Request for Proposals (RFP) released
August 26, 2025: RFP closes
September 15-24, 2025: Materials available for online community review
September 22, 2025: Field Test Teacher application released (closes Oct. 10)
September 13, 20, 24 (PM*), 27, 2025: Committee reviews materials and selects
finalists for field test *Community Feedback Review
October 6, 2025: Second Request for Proposal released
October 20, 2025: Field Test Teachers notified of acceptance
November 3, 2025: Second RFP closes
November 12-15, 2025: Field Test Teacher training
December 2025-January 2026: Materials available for online community review
December 1-19, 2025 & January 5-30, 2026: Field test conducted
February 4 (PM), 2026: Panel Discussion with field test teachers and committee
February 7, 11 (PM) 2026: Committee makes final recommendation
Instructional Materials Adoption Committee Membership and Selection
The committee will be made up of approximately 35-45 members who provide either subject matter expertise or perspectives of family and/or community members with current and/or past students in K-5 ELA. The committee will include:
- K-5 ELA teachers and leaders representing a cross section of elementary and K-8 schools
- ML, SpEd, elementary school teachers with experience and/or expertise in ELA curriculum and instruction
- Parents, guardians, or community members of current or former elementary students, representing a wide range of schools and programs in SPS
Members will be selected and appointed in accordance with School Board Policy 4110: Family & Community Advisory and Oversight Committees, and Procedure 4110SP. The district shall provide public notice to individuals and organizations that may reasonably be interested in serving on the adoption committee.
Adoption Committee Vision, Purpose, and Goals
Apply to Be on the Adoption Committee
A standardized application is posted below. The application deadline is Friday, May 2nd. Committee members will be selected by May 19th. Beginning May 31st, selected committee members will begin participating in the multi-step process.
Adoption Committee Schedule and Timeline
The committee will meet several times between May 2025 and February 2026. Saturday meetings will be held in-person at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence. The Wednesday meetings will be held virtually through Teams.
- Meeting Minutes – Saturday, May 31, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Meeting Minutes – Saturday, June 7, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Meeting Minutes – Saturday, June 14, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 13, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 20, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 27, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday, February 7, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Additional dates/times will be agreed upon by the Adoption Committee as needed