TUSD Curriculum and Instruction

Last week our AVID site teams got together for an opportunity to reflect on AVID implementation and begin planning for the upcoming school year. There were dedicated teachers, administrators, and TUSD staff committed to improving learning experiences for all students and empowering educators with the support and resources they need. Tucson Unified School District (TUSD)

Last week on June 4-5 our Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Instruction hosted our Summer Institute for Culturally Responsive Education (SICRE). It was invigorating and powerful seeing our educators come together for this important work. Thank you Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Instruction Team!

School may be out, but our Tucson Unified principals, assistant principals, and CSPs were hard at work!Over the past two days, our leaders engaged in rigorous learning and planning aligned to the Triple Crown of Excellence:

PLC Momentum: CSPs focused on strengthening PLC structures and building collaborative systems that support student learning.

High-Quality Instruction: Leaders deepened their understanding of effective literacy practices and instructional precision.

Curriculum Access: High school principals explored the new Math adoption and its role in ensuring strong, standards-aligned instruction for students.

Whew! What an incredible two days of learning, collaboration, and leadership. We are inspired by the commitment of our school leaders as we prepare for a strong year ahead. Unified School District (TUSD)

Our Language Acquisition Team is hosting its annual Language Acquisition Symposium, centered on this year’s theme of Empowering Learners. Over two inspiring days, participants are engaging in meaningful learning, collaboration, camaraderie, and celebration.
We also had the privilege of hearing from Tessa Brock and Richard Carranza, whose messages challenged and inspired us to continue strengthening opportunities for every learner. We celebrated Pat Sandoval's 40+ years in TUSD and then engaged in meaningful learning sessions.
Thank you to our Language Acquisition Team and all who participated for your continued commitment to students, families, and multilingual learning across Tucson Unified. Tucson Unified School District (TUSD)

Tucson Unified School District (TUSD)proudly hosted its inaugural Arizona Seal of Biliteracy Award Ceremony, celebrating an outstanding group of high school seniors who have demonstrated high-level proficiency in English and at least one additional world language.
This recognition honors students’ hard work, dedication to language learning, and commitment to cultural understanding. The Arizona Seal of Biliteracy is a prestigious state-recognized distinction available to public school students who meet rigorous academic criteria, including success on state ELA assessments, a strong GPA, and demonstrated proficiency on approved world language exams.
Students who earn the Seal receive a gold seal on their high school diploma, and the achievement is officially noted on their academic transcript.
Congratulations to our Tucson Unified seniors for this incredible accomplishment. Your multilingual skills are an asset to our community, your future, and the world.

Today we held our final Instructional Leadership Academy (ILA) of the year with our TUSD principals.

It was a meaningful opportunity to celebrate and honor our school leaders for the incredible work they do every day in service of our students, staff, families, and communities. We are grateful for their leadership, dedication, and commitment to moving our schools forward.
A special thank you to Dr. Trujillo for sharing important district updates and helping us close the year with clarity and purpose. We also appreciated the opportunity to network, reconnect, and spend much-needed collaborative time together as leaders.
Thank you, principals, for all you do for TUSD. Your work matters, and it shows. Tucson Unified School District (TUSD)

Today, our Professional Development team hosted the final CIPDA session of the academic year.

Our Curriculum Service Providers had the opportunity to connect, network, build camaraderie, and begin looking ahead to the 2026–2027 school year. We are grateful for their continued commitment to supporting teachers, strengthening instruction, and helping move our district priorities forward.
Thank you to our Professional Development team and all of our CSPs for a strong year of learning, collaboration, and service to schools. Tucson Unified School District (TUSD)

Our Curriculum and Instruction team had the privilege of hosting a special viewing of the film: The Right to Read. This powerful film created an opportunity for participants to reflect, engage in meaningful dialogue, and consider how we can continue shifting our practices to strengthen reading instruction across our district.

Improving literacy outcomes is shared work, and moments like these help us stay grounded in the urgency, responsibility, and hope of ensuring every student has access to strong reading instruction.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the conversation.

It was an honor to visit Middle School and see the great work happening for students. High expectations are evident, learning targets and success criteria are clear, and students are actively engaged in their classrooms. Even after the demands of state testing, Doolen’s teachers and staff continue to do an incredible job. Keep up the great work, Doolen! Tucson Unified School District (TUSD)