Sevier School District | K-5 ELA Curriculum Adoption RFP

SEVIER SCHOOL DISTRICT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

K-5 English Language Arts Curriculum Adoption Solicitation #: SSD26-009 First Year of Implementation: 2027-2028 School Year Adoption Term: Five Years (2027-2028 through 2031-2032) I. Overview and Purpose Sevier School District is requesting proposals for a comprehensive, research-based English Language Arts (ELA) core curriculum for kindergarten through grade 5. The selected curriculum will begin districtwide implementation in the 2027-2028 school year and is anticipated to serve as the district's core K-5 ELA program for a five-year adoption period.

The district seeks a cohesive program that provides high-quality instruction across the complete core ELA areas, including foundational reading skills, phonemic awareness and phonics, fluency, vocabulary and morphology, reading comprehension, literature and informational text, knowledge building, writing, grammar and language conventions, spelling and word study, speaking and listening, assessment, and progress monitoring.

Particular emphasis will be placed on explicit, systematic, cumulative foundational-skills instruction and high-quality decodable texts in the primary grades; strong, engaging text selections and knowledge building across K-5; and robust, evidence-based writing instruction, especially in grades 4 and 5. The district also values intentional spiraling of skills and concepts across units and grade levels.

II. Background Sevier School District is conducting a comprehensive K-5 ELA curriculum adoption process in preparation for implementation beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. The district's adoption committee includes teachers from Monroe, Ashman, Salina, Pahvant, and Koosharem schools, representing a mix of elementary grade levels, as well as two parent representatives.

The committee will evaluate programs for research and standards alignment, instructional quality, usability, student and teacher resources, assessment, technology, differentiation, implementation support, and long-term cost.

III. Minimum Mandatory Requirements (Pass/Fail) The following requirements will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Failure to meet a mandatory requirement may result in removal from further consideration.

1. Utah Instructional Materials Approval At the time proposals are submitted, the proposed curriculum must either:

Be included on the applicable Utah State Board of Education approved instructional materials list; or Be formally under review by USBE for inclusion on the applicable approved instructional materials list.

The proposed curriculum must receive the required Utah approval before final award of the contract. Vendors must provide documentation demonstrating the program's current approval or formal review status.

2. Comprehensive K-5 Core ELA Program The proposal must provide a comprehensive core ELA curriculum covering kindergarten through grade 5 and addressing the major instructional components identified in this RFP.

3. Separate Proposal Submissions Vendors must submit a Technical Proposal and a Cost Proposal as separate submissions. Pricing information must not appear in the Technical Proposal. Technical and cost proposals will be evaluated independently.

IV. Scope of Work and Specifications

1. Standards, Research, and Instructional Design Align with applicable Utah K-5 English Language Arts standards.

Demonstrate strong alignment with evidence-based practices associated with the Science of Reading and Science of Writing.

Provide a clear, coherent K-5 scope and sequence with intentional vertical alignment.

Systematically spiral and review previously taught concepts and skills throughout the year and across grade levels.

Provide explicit instruction, teacher modeling, guided practice, and independent application.

Support transfer of skills to authentic reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

2. Foundational Skills - K-3 Priority Foundational literacy instruction is a major priority. The curriculum should provide explicit, systematic, and cumulative instruction that includes:

Phonological and phonemic awareness.

Letter-sound correspondence and explicit, systematic phonics.

Encoding and spelling.

High-frequency word instruction.

Syllable types and syllable division, as developmentally appropriate.

Morphology, including prefixes, suffixes, roots, and meaningful word parts.

Fluency development.

Cumulative review and sufficient guided and independent practice.

Clear, usable instructional routines for teachers.

Decodable Texts Decodable texts should:

Align closely to phonics patterns students have already been taught.

Provide sufficient connected-text practice for developing decoding skills.

Increase appropriately in complexity.

Include engaging, age-appropriate content.

Be readily available to teachers and students.

Vendors should clearly explain the relationship between the foundational-skills scope and sequence and the decodable texts.

3. Text Quality, Knowledge Building, and Comprehension The curriculum should provide regular access to high-quality, engaging, appropriately complex texts. Text quality is especially important in grades 4 and 5.

High-quality literature and informational text across a variety of genres.

Diverse authors, perspectives, topics, and appropriate levels of text complexity.

Meaningful opportunities for close and repeated reading.

Text-dependent questions and evidence-based discussion and written response.

Explicit, evidence-based comprehension instruction.

Connected texts and topics that intentionally build student knowledge and vocabulary.

Meaningful cross-curricular connections, including science, social studies, history, geography, arts, culture, and other relevant content areas.

4. Vocabulary and Morphology Explicit instruction in academic and domain-specific vocabulary.

Vocabulary instruction within meaningful text contexts.

Morphological awareness, including Greek and Latin roots and affixes as developmentally appropriate.

Strategies for determining word meaning.

Opportunities to apply vocabulary in speaking and writing.

Cumulative review of vocabulary and word-analysis skills.

5. Writing - Grades 4-5 Priority Writing is an important component of this adoption, with particular emphasis on grades 4 and 5. The district is seeking a program that provides a comprehensive writing approach rather than writing activities that simply accompany reading selections.

A clear K-5 writing scope and sequence.

Explicit writing instruction with teacher modeling, guided practice, and independent application.

Mentor texts and/or high-quality exemplars.

Student-friendly rubrics and feedback tools.

Instruction and practice in planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.

Frequent writing in response to reading and opportunities for extended writing.

Explicit instruction and practice in informational/explanatory, opinion/argument, and narrative writing.

Progressively more sophisticated writing expectations across grade levels.

6. Grammar, Conventions, Spelling, and Word Study Intentional, explicit instruction in grammar, sentence structure, usage, mechanics, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and word study.

Opportunities to apply grammar and conventions within authentic writing.

Intentional review and spiraling of language and spelling skills throughout the year.

7. Student Instructional Materials Desired student materials include:

Consumable student books/workbooks.

Grade-level reading materials and leveled or differentiated reading resources.

Decodable readers.

Student writing resources.

Digital student access.

Assessment materials.

Intervention resources.

Enrichment and extension resources.

Vendors must clearly identify materials included in the base proposal and materials that are optional or require an additional purchase.

8. Teacher Resources and Usability Desired teacher resources include:

Print and digital teacher editions.

Detailed lesson plans, learning objectives, and suggested pacing.

Clear instructional routines and lesson presentation materials/slides.

Answer keys and printable resources.

Small-group materials.

Intervention and enrichment/extension resources.

Differentiation recommendations.

Assessment resources and planning tools.

The district will consider the amount of teacher preparation required and the overall organization, clarity, and usability of the program.

9. Differentiation, Intervention, and Extension Resources should support:

Students performing below grade level.

Students needing additional foundational-skills instruction.

Students with disabilities.

Multilingual learners.

Students performing at grade level.

Students performing above grade level.

Students requiring enrichment or extension.

Intervention materials should connect logically to the core curriculum whenever possible. Vendors must identify whether intervention and enrichment resources are included in the core purchase or require additional licensing or purchase.

10. Assessment and Data Because schools within the district use assessment data in different ways, the district values a flexible and comprehensive assessment system.

Beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessments.

Unit and formative assessments.

Foundational-skills and diagnostic assessments.

Progress-monitoring tools.

Standards-aligned assessments.

Writing assessments and rubrics.

Digital assessment options.

Classroom-, school-, and district-level reporting.

Assessments should provide actionable information that teachers can use to adjust core instruction, intervention, and enrichment.

11. Digital Platform and Technology Integration Preference will be given to programs that provide:

Teacher and student digital access.

Simple assignment of digital content.

Integration or compatibility with Canvas and Google tools.

Integration or compatibility with ClassLink and single sign-on.

Easy district-level teacher account and license management.

Digital assessments, reporting, and data tools.

Accessibility features for students with varying needs.

Vendors should clearly identify required integrations, technical requirements, and any additional fees.

12. Professional Development and Implementation Support At minimum, proposals must include initial implementation training for teachers. Vendors should describe all available initial and ongoing professional development and support, including:

Initial teacher training.

Grade-level training.

Administrator training.

Follow-up professional development.

Coaching and online professional learning.

Technical and curriculum implementation support.

The Technical Proposal must identify what professional development is included in the base purchase and what is available at additional cost.

13. Implementation and Licensing The proposed program must be available for districtwide implementation beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

Proposed implementation, ordering, and delivery timeline.

Digital platform setup timeline.

Training timeline.

Student and teacher licensing structure.

Technical requirements.

Ongoing support model.

V. Curriculum Samples and Review Process

1. Sample Materials Vendors must be prepared to provide sufficient curriculum samples to allow meaningful hands-on review of K-5 materials by the district's participating schools and grade-level representatives. Samples should allow evaluators to examine, as applicable:

Teacher editions.

Student consumable materials.

Decodable readers.

Reading/text resources.

Writing materials.

Assessment materials.

Intervention and differentiation resources.

Digital resources.

The district will provide sample quantities, delivery locations, deadlines, and related instructions through the designated procurement process. Provision of samples does not guarantee advancement to the finalist stage.

2. Two-Stage Technical Evaluation Stage 1 - Technical Proposal and Curriculum Materials Review All qualifying proposals that pass the minimum mandatory requirements will be evaluated in Stage 1. The adoption committee will review the written Technical Proposal and hands-on curriculum samples. Stage 1 is worth 95 technical points.

Following Stage 1, Sevier School District anticipates identifying up to three highest-rated finalists to advance to Stage 2. Advancement to Stage 2 will be based on Stage 1 technical evaluation and will not be based on cost.

Stage 2 - Finalist Demonstrations Only finalists will participate in Stage 2. All finalists will receive consistent instructions regarding demonstration length, topics, format, and expectations. The finalist demonstration is worth 5 technical points.

Demonstrations may require vendors to address:

K-3 foundational-skills instruction and decodable alignment.

Grades 4-5 text, comprehension, and writing instruction.

Intervention, differentiation, and extension.

Assessment and data tools.

Digital platform functionality.

Teacher planning, lesson usability, and implementation support.

Final Technical Score = Stage 1 Technical Score (95 points) + Stage 2 Finalist Demonstration Score (5 points) = 100 possible technical points.

A finalist must earn at least 70% of the final available technical points (70 of 100) to remain eligible for award.

3. Procurement Communication During Review All communication regarding vendor questions, samples, demonstrations, or clarification requests must occur through the district's designated procurement contact and/or Bonfire. Individuals participating in evaluation or award decisions may not independently communicate, negotiate, coordinate demonstrations, request additional materials from, or otherwise work directly with potential vendors during the active solicitation process.

VI. Technical Proposal Requirements The Technical Proposal must contain no pricing information and should include:

1. Executive Summary - brief description of the proposed K-5 ELA program.

2. Utah Approval Status - documentation of current approval or formal USBE review status.

3. Curriculum Overview - instructional philosophy, research base, K-5 scope and sequence, Utah standards alignment, Science of Reading alignment, and evidence-based writing approach.

4. Foundational Skills - phonemic awareness, phonics, decodables, encoding/spelling, fluency, and morphology.

5. Texts, Knowledge Building, Vocabulary, and Comprehension - text selection, complexity, cross-curricular knowledge building, vocabulary, and comprehension approach.

6. Writing and Language - writing scope and sequence, explicit writing instruction, grammar, conventions, spelling, and word study.

7. Student and Teacher Materials - complete list of print and digital resources.

8. Assessment and Data System - assessment types, reporting, progress monitoring, and sample reports.

9. Differentiation and Intervention - supports for diverse learners, intervention, and advanced learners.

10. Digital Platform - functionality and Canvas, Google, and ClassLink integration/compatibility.

11. Professional Development - initial training and available ongoing support.

12. Implementation Plan - proposed implementation timeline and district support model.

13. Evidence of Effectiveness - research, studies, or other evidence of program effectiveness.

14. References - references from districts implementing the proposed program, preferably comparable elementary implementations.

VII. Five-Year Cost Proposal Requirements The Cost Proposal must be submitted separately from the Technical Proposal. Vendors must provide transparent and itemized pricing for a five-year curriculum adoption beginning with the 2027-2028 school year and continuing through the 2031-2032 school year.

Vendors must provide the total five-year cost of ownership and separately identify costs by year and category, including:

Initial curriculum/material costs.

Teacher materials.

Student materials.

Consumable materials and annual replenishment.

Decodable readers and classroom reading resources.

Intervention materials.

Digital teacher and student licenses.

Annual renewal costs.

Professional development and implementation services.

Shipping/freight.

Optional resources.

Any other required or recurring costs.

Vendors must clearly distinguish required costs from optional costs so the district can determine the complete cost of implementing and maintaining the curriculum throughout the five-year adoption period.

VIII. Evaluation and Selection Criteria The district intends to use a 125-point evaluation system. Technical evaluation represents 80% of the total evaluation and cost represents 20%.

1. Technical Evaluation - 100 Points / 80% Technical scoring will occur through the two-stage process described in Section V. Stage 1 is worth 95 points and Stage 2 is worth 5 points.

Technical Scoring Scale

2. Cost Evaluation - 25 Points / 20% Cost proposals will be evaluated independently from the technical evaluation using the five-year total cost of ownership. The qualifying offeror with the lowest proposed five-year price will receive all 25 cost points. Other qualifying offerors will receive cost points using the following formula:

Cost Points = 25 x (2 - Proposed Five-Year Price / Lowest Proposed Five-Year Price) A proposed price greater than 200% of the lowest qualifying five-year price will receive zero cost points.

3. Total Evaluation

IX. Proposed Solicitation and Adoption Timeline Exact dates will be established by Sevier School District Purchasing and posted through Bonfire. The RFP will remain open for a minimum of two weeks.

X. Solicitation Communication and Conflict of Interest During the active solicitation process, all vendor communication concerning this RFP must be directed through the district's designated procurement contact and/or Bonfire. Members of the curriculum adoption committee, evaluators, district employees involved in the evaluation, and individuals participating in the award decision must not independently communicate, negotiate, coordinate demonstrations, request additional materials from, or otherwise work directly with potential vendors during the solicitation process.

Vendor questions and district responses should be distributed through the authorized procurement process to ensure that all potential offerors receive consistent information.

2027-2028 Implementation | Five-Year Adoption