Portland teachers learn new instructional framework, curriculum

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - School is out for the summer for Portland Public Schools, but that didn’t stop K-5 teachers from going back to school Wednesday to become students themselves.

On Wednesday, 400 teachers packed an auditorium at Roosevelt High School to learn about the district’s new standards for math and English language arts, and what the district said works best for students.

The new standards may not be a radical change. For example, in English language arts next year, older elementary school readers will have a greater variety of novels to choose from, not just five. The novels will reflect cultural relevancy in the state’s largest and most diverse school district.

The school district said these new standards will take the guesswork out of teaching so that all students can achieve.

“As a result of that, we will see improvements in student outcomes because we have taken the first step to insure that there is a standard curriculum that is aligned to the Oregon standards and that is engaging enriching and meaningful for students,” said Dr. Cheryl Proctor, Deputy Superintendent at PPS.

Dr. Proctor said the new curriculum should help students who may have fallen behind because of pandemic restrictions and at-home learning. It should also help students anytime they fall behind, because teachers will be able to easily assess how each student is doing and help each student catch up, if that is needed.

In some cases, the district said the new standards may be more rigorous, and these standards aren’t just for younger students. By September, all K-12 students will be taught this way.

The goal is to make sure every high school graduate is ready for either college or a career by the time they graduate.

Copyright 2022 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.