Board adopts UFLI literacy program and Jordan-written social studies curriculum after open houses
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Summary
After staff reported turnout from a recent open house and online viewing metrics, the Jordan School District Board unanimously approved adoption of UFLI and the district-developed social studies curriculum.
The Jordan Board of Education unanimously approved adoption of UFLI (Universal Foundations for Literacy Instruction) and a Jordan-written social studies curriculum during its April 22 business meeting.
Staff who organized public open houses summarized participation and online interest during the board's April study session. Kaye Rizzuto said five teachers and two parents attended the in-person social studies open house, and that district tracking showed 953 unique views of the social studies materials during the month-long public review period. Staff also said the UFLI pilot teachers returned to provide feedback and that in-person attendees were "really positive" about both programs.
The motion to adopt the materials was made by Board Member Lisa Dean and seconded by Board Member Suzanne Wood; the motion carried without objection. Administrators told the board that the social studies curriculum was written by Jordan School District teachers using a state grant to pay initial writing costs and that ongoing tweaks had been handled internally with staff time.
Board members asked clarifying questions about who controls the master copy of the curriculum and whether local edits would change a state-shared drive or an externally hosted resource. Staff said the district manages the materials on an internal drive and can update items as needed; they noted that the UFLI website is hosted by a partner and that the district cannot track external traffic to that site.
Why it matters
The social studies curriculum is district-authored and used as a statewide resource; adoption by Jordan School District signals local acceptance and will be the basis for classroom instruction in Jordan schools. The UFLI adoption aligns the district with a structured literacy approach supported by state and national research.
Provenance
Board study session discussion about the open house and unique view counts began around the start of the meeting's curriculum item; final adoption occurred at the business meeting later that night.
