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https://www.rocklinusd.org/Departments/Educational-Services/Curriculum-and-Instruction/
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Rocklin Unified School District

Curriculum and Instruction

The Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) is dedicated to fostering educational excellence in all its classrooms and programs. Rocklin Unified offers a comprehensive, rigorous, and engaging educational experience tailored to address the diverse needs of the student body.
 
Instruction in the classroom is crafted to instill a passion for learning, cultivate critical thinking, and enhance problem-solving abilities, thus ensuring students are well-equipped for the challenges ahead. Rocklin Unified provides a wide array of courses spanning all grade levels, including innovative Dual Language and STEM programs, arts and humanities, Career Technical Education (CTE), and GATE/Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) options.
 
Rocklin Unified's committed team of educators and staff strive to establish supportive and intellectually stimulating learning environments that promote academic, social, and personal growth. Alongside core academic offerings, RUSD emphasizes social-emotional learning, offering various resources and support systems to safeguard each student's well-being. The school believes in educating the whole child, and efforts are made to foster a sense of community, resilience, and respect among the student body.
 

Standards & Curriculum Frameworks

Curriculum Standards:
The Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) implements California's Common Core State Standards, including the California Mathematics Framework, California’s English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework, and the State’s Next Generation Science Standards and History Social Studies Frameworks. These standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn. They are designed to be relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that young people need for success in college and careers.
 
The Department of Educational Services works to assist educators throughout the district in providing the highest quality teaching and learning with a focus on student growth and achievement. Teachers are continuing to grow in their role as skilled facilitators who can provide experiences that enable students to take ownership of their own learning. They are equipped with tools to use technology to expand their learning, work collaboratively in groups, and individually apply and solve complex real-world problems. Additionally, district teachers will continue to be supported in their use of instructional technology.
 
Click California Common Core Standards to review the state standards on the California Department of Education website.
 
Curriculum Frameworks:
Curriculum frameworks provide guidance for implementing the content standards. Click California Curriculum Frameworks to review the state frameworks on the California Department of Education website.
 
 

Curricular Resources

Instructional Options

Adopted Curriculum

Adopted Curriculum

Transitional Kinder

Grades K-5

Grades 6-8

Grades 9-12

Curriculum Pilot and Adoption Process

Curriculum Pilot and Adoption Process

Current Curriculum Pilots

Mathematics
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) Into Math CA
  • Amplify Desmos Math CA
  • CPM Core Connections, 3rd Ed and Inspiring Connections
 
English Language Development (ELD) - Grades 6-8
  • Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) English 3D
  • Vista Higher Learning (VHL) Bridges 
 
Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry
  • Pearson Chemistry: A Molecular Approach (AP Edition, Sixth Edition)
  • Cengage Chemistry (AP Edition, Eleventh Edition)

Phase 1: Preparation (1 Month)

  • Timeline: Reference the California State Board of Education Framework and Instructional Materials adoption timeline.  
  • Local Factors: Consider local information including budget and adoption timeframes of other subject area curricula.  
  • Board Communication: Inform the Board of Trustees of all upcoming adoptions.

Phase 2: Planning (1-2 Months)

  • Process Creation: Create district adoption process using provided resources:
  • Resource Gathering: Gather required resources:
    • Adoption toolkit
    • Content area curriculum framework and standards
    • List of state board-approved instructional materials
    • Local data (MAP, CAASPP Data, RUSD-specific needs)
    • Applicable CA Education Code (including EC 60040-60045)
  • Ed. Services Preview: Ed. Services Admin previews State Board of Education approved instructional materials (K-8) and any other available instructional materials.
  • Advisory Team Identification: Form team per Education Code 60002 and BP 6161.1 including teachers (grade levels, Special Ed, ELL, labor reps), parents, site administrators, content experts, instructional coaches, and district office administrators.
      • Participants must complete 2–3 days of foundational learning on standards, shifts, and adoption toolkit/rubrics.
      • Participants must pilot curriculum(s) under consideration for 4–9 weeks.
  • Timeline Creation: Outline steps for framework training, material evaluation/narrowing, pilot recommendations, publisher training, classroom piloting, committee reviews, Board information items, public review (30 days), Board approval requests, purchasing, and implementation planning.
  • Budget Identification: Determine budget needs for teacher compensation/release time and pilot materials.

Phase 3: Pilot (Approximately 9 Months)

  • Standards & Toolkit Review: Review standards, frameworks, and evaluation toolkits.
  • Curriculum Narrowing: Review and narrow curriculum options using evaluation toolkits and relevant CA Education Code.
  • Publisher Training: Conduct publisher training on curriculum and pilot planning.
  • Family Notification: Teachers of participating classes will notify families.
  • Pilot the Curriculum: Pilot instructional material(s) and gather feedback from teachers and students.
  • Recommendation: Formulate pilot committee recommendation.

Phase 4: Adoption (3 Months)

  • Board of Trustees information item
  • Public review (30 days minimum per Ed. Code 60202) 
    • “Each district board shall promote the involvement of parents and other members of the community in the selection of instructional materials.” (EC 60002). 
    • Includes outreach to all families of opportunity to review recommended curriculum in person/virtual, feedback sent directly to the Board of Trustees via rocklinusd email addresses.
  • Request Board of Trustees approval for adoption
  • Purchase instructional materials
  • Disposal of old curriculum
  • Curriculum Training Plan
    • Standards and Framework
    • Publisher training
  • Curriculum Arrival Plan
  • Curriculum Implementation Plan, includes identification of sensitive topics and, if necessary, retraining of impacted teachers on the use of the sensitive topics resource.
  • Parent Information/Training, includes parent information nights, outreach, and access to  frequently asked questions.  

Phase 5: Implementation Support (Ongoing)

  • Identify who can support classroom implementation
    • Print resources
    • Digital resources
    • Assessment
  • Ongoing training 
    • Support of initial implementation
    • Follow-up training (going deeper as needed)
    • Onboarding of new teachers to district
TK-12 Mathematics Education Vision

TK-12 Mathematics Education Vision

The Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD)'s mathematics education is a collective effort by students, educators, leaders, and families to prepare students to apply mathematics in the real world. Mathematics courses should develop conceptual understanding, fluency, and application. Rocklin Unified's vision is for every student to develop confidence, curiosity, and perseverance as they grow as mathematicians.

Students

  • See themselves as mathematicians.
  • Persevere through challenging problems.
  • Talk and debate math ideas with classmates.
  • Use math to make sense of the real world.
  • The majority of the thinking, talking, and problem-solving takes place in their classroom.
  • Use technology to support and show their math learning.

Families

  • Encourage a positive attitude about math.
  • Celebrate their child’s growth.
  • Understand their child’s progress in learning mathematics.
  • Communicate with teachers about their child's progress and needs.
  • Support their child in reflecting on their learning and speaking up for themselves.

Educators

  • Establish an organized, positive, and respectful learning environment.
  • Embrace lifelong learning.
  • Use a variety of strategies that actively engage students.
  • Create opportunities for mathematical discourse and collaboration.
  • Design tasks that address the math standards and require critical thinking and multiple strategies.
  • Provide feedback to students using informal and formal assessments.

Leaders

  • Provide time and space for teachers to collaborate and plan mathematics instruction.
  • Offer professional learning focused on effective math teaching.
  • Organize evidence-based curriculum and resources.
  • Support teams in using data to adjust instruction and create interventions.

Middle School Mathematics Placement Policy

An image titled "RUSD Middle School Math Placement" showing a flow chart of mathematics course pathways for students in the Rocklin Unified School District. Starting from the left, a bracket labeled "6th Grade District Math placement scores" leads to two 7th-grade options: Math 7 and Accelerated Math 7. The chart then illustrates the possible transitions to 8th-grade courses: Math 7 students typically progress to Math 8, though an arrow also indicates a path to Integrated Math I. Accelerated Math 7 students typically progress to Integrated Math I, though an arrow also indicates a path to Math 8.The Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) strives to place each student in a math course that fits their current readiness level and supports long-term success. Moving into advanced math too early can create gaps in foundational skills, making later coursework more difficult. To help ensure students are prepared, we use multiple academic measures for math acceleration placement.
 
Students have multiple opportunities for math acceleration (in 7th, 8th, and 10th grade). These entry points give students flexibility to accelerate when they are ready, while keeping all future pathways open — including the option to take calculus in high school. Our priority is to help students build strong math foundations so they can feel confident and succeed in advanced courses at a pace that supports their success.
 
 
7th Grade: All incoming 7th-grade students are enrolled in Math 7, which covers grade-level standards. Students may be placed in Accelerated Math 7 if they meet both of the criteria listed below — demonstrating qualifying performance on the CAASPP (California’s statewide academic assessment) and the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress, a nationally normed growth assessment) tests.

  • Math CAASPP Performance:
    • Score at Level 4 on either the 5th-grade or 6th-grade Math CAASPP assessment
    • Earn no lower than Level 3 in Math in 6th-grade

  • Math MAP Growth Performance (6th Grade):
    • Score at or above the 85th percentile* on two out of three Math MAP administrations
    • Note: Students coming from outside the district will take an RUSD Math MAP assessment on published dates in May or August to determine if they are ready for accelerated math.


8th Grade: Most students progress from Math 7 to Math 8, which covers grade-level standards and keeps students on track to take Integrated I as freshmen. In some cases, a student may move directly from Math 7 into Integrated I in 8th grade if they meet all of the following requirements:

  • Math CAASPP Performance:
    • Score Level 4 on either 6th-grade or 7th-grade Math CAASPP
    • Earn no lower than Level 3 in Math in 7th-grade

  • Math MAP Growth Performance (7th Grade):
    • Score at or above the 85th percentile* on two out of three Math MAP administrations 
    • Earn a final course grade of A in Math 7
    • Note: Students enrolling from outside the district will take the RUSD Math MAP assessment on scheduled dates in May or August to determine readiness for placement in Integrated I.
 
*National percentile rankings referenced in this document are based on the 2025 NWEA MAP Growth normative study, which establishes nationally representative benchmarks for student performance.                                                  
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