Description

10th Grade English Language Arts (ELA) Curriculum 

Request for Proposals 

DUE: APRIL 7, 2026

Selection Notification: April 17, 2026
Curriculum Submission Deadline: May 18, 2026

Organizational Background

As we celebrate 60 years of impact, LINK Unlimited Scholars continues to expand opportunities for talented and ambitious Black students across Chicago. LINK prepares Scholars to enroll in college, persist, and graduate prepared to lead and thrive in their careers and communities. Through academic enrichment, scholarships, college access, leadership development, career exposure, and mentoring, LINK works to increase college completion and long-term economic mobility for Scholars and their families.

A key component of this work is our Summer Learning program, a 4-week academic enrichment and acceleration experience designed to strengthen Scholars’ academic skills, positioning them to enter the upcoming school year more confident, better prepared, and ready to perform at a higher level.

Project Overview

LINK Unlimited Scholars is seeking proposals from qualified curriculum designers to develop an engaging, culturally relevant English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum for rising 10th-grade Scholars participating in LINK’s Summer Learning program. The curriculum should function as an academic accelerator, deepening mastery of the analytical reading, writing, and critical thinking skills they will need in the upcoming academic year.

The curriculum should:

Align with Illinois Learning Standards / Common Core ELA Standards for Grades 9–10
Strengthen Scholars’ ability to analyze complex texts and construct evidence-based writing
Integrate culturally relevant literature and texts
Provide rigorous instruction that prepares Scholars for the expectations of high school English coursework
Scholars attend a wide range of schools with varying levels of preparation. The curriculum should therefore include scaffolding and differentiation strategies that support varying skill levels while maintaining high academic expectations.

Desired Scholar Learning Outcomes

By the end of the Summer Learning ELA course, Scholars should be able to:

Analyze literary and informational texts to identify central ideas, themes, and author perspectives
Cite and integrate textual evidence to support interpretations and claims
Write structured analytical paragraphs that include claims, evidence, and explanation
Compare how different authors address similar themes or issues
Demonstrate stronger use of academic vocabulary and written expression
Engage critically with culturally relevant texts that reflect diverse Black perspectives and experiences
 

Curriculum Content Priorities for 10th Grade Scholars

The 10th-grade course should build on the progression of LINK’s ELA program and serve as a bridge between 9th-grade literary identity exploration and 11th-grade historical and rhetorical analysis.

Curriculum should emphasize:

Close reading of complex texts
Author’s purpose, tone, and rhetorical choices
Comparative analysis across texts
Analytical writing using textual evidence
Critical discussion of themes such as identity, power, leadership, and social change
Texts should include voices from Black authors, thinkers, and cultural movements while strengthening students’ analytical reading and writing skills.

Scope of Work

The selected vendor will develop a complete ELA curriculum that includes:

Curriculum Components

Pre-Assessment
Post-Assessment
Alignment with Common Core / Illinois ELA Standards (Grades 9–10)
Lesson Objectives
Curriculum Pacing Guide aligned to the nine instructional days and varying 60-minute and 90-minute class structures
Daily Lesson Plans
Bell Ringers
Exit Tickets
Formative Assessments
Differentiation Strategies
Materials List
Instructional Materials

Slide presentations
Student handouts
Activity guides
Assessment materials
 

Technology Considerations

Scholars will generally have access to computers or tablets during Summer Learning. However, lessons should still be designed so they can be fully implemented through paper-based instruction in the event of technological challenges.

Assessment Expectations

The pre- and post-assessment structure is critical to this project.

The curriculum must include:

A diagnostic pre-assessment that measures Scholars’ baseline reading and writing skills.
A post-assessment that measures the same standards and competencies, allowing LINK to accurately measure academic growth.
The post-assessment should not be identical to the pre-assessment. It should assess the same skills using different texts or prompts to ensure the validity of growth measurements.

Summer Learning Program Structure

Summer Learning will run for four (4) weeks. During this program, Scholars participate in two academic courses each day: Math and English Language Arts (ELA). These courses are referred to as Core Class 1 and Core Class 2. One course will be Math and the other will be ELA. The order may vary by cohort.

During Weeks 2–4, Core Class 2 is divided into two instructional segments (Part 1 and Part 2). These two segments together form the full instructional block for that course. Core Class 2 (Parts 1 and 2) may also be either Math or ELA, depending on the schedule.

The instructional schedule differs between Week 1 and Weeks 2–4, and curriculum must align with these different instructional time blocks.

Week 1 Instructional Schedule (3 Days)

Instruction occurs Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in 60-minute class blocks. The ELA curriculum must therefore include three lessons, with each lesson designed for 60 minutes of instruction.

   Time
Activity
Duration
9:40–10:40 AM
Core Class 1 (Math or ELA)
60 minutes
10:45–11:45 AM
Core Class 2 (Math or ELA)
60 minutes
11:45–12:10 PM
Lunch
25 minutes
12:15–1:45 PM
Career Inspiration & Preparation
90 minutes

Weeks 2–4 Instructional Schedule (6 Days)

Instruction occurs Monday and Tuesday only during Weeks 2, 3, and 4. Each academic course receives 90 minutes of total instructional time per day. 

   Time
Activity
Duration
9:40–11:10 AM
Core Class 1 (Math or ELA)
90 minutes
11:10–11:45 AM
Core Class 2 – Part 1 (Math or ELA)
35 minutes
11:45–12:10 PM
Lunch
25 minutes
12:15–1:10 PM
Core Class 2 – Part 2 (Math or ELA)
55 minutes
1:15–2:30 PM
Career Inspiration & Preparation
75 minutes
 

Instructional Day Count for ELA

Curriculum development must align with the total number of instructional days available.

Total ELA lessons required: 9

The curriculum must therefore include:

3 lessons designed for 60-minute instructional blocks
6 lessons designed for 90-minute instructional blocks
Curricula designers must provide a pacing guide indicating how each lesson aligns to the nine instructional days and the varying 60-minute and 90-minute class structures.

   Week
Instruction Days
Lesson Length
Week 1
3 days
60 minutes
Weeks 2–4
6 days
90 minutes
 

Proposal Submission Requirements

Proposals should include:

Vendor resume, which also highlights curricula design experience
Curriculum overview
Central question or theme that guides the curriculum
Scope of work
Anticipated standards and objectives
Description of culturally relevant elements
One sample lesson outline or activity demonstrating instructional approach and cultural relevance
Proposals Must also Answer the Following Questions:
How will your curriculum ensure it is culturally responsive and engaging for LINK Scholars?
How will your curriculum function as an academic accelerator preparing LINK Scholars for high school English coursework?
How will the pre- and post-assessments measure meaningful Scholar growth?
How will teachers and Scholars monitor progress throughout the program?
 

 
Evaluation Criteria 

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

Alignment with Common Core / Illinois ELA Standards
Academic rigor and alignment with the accelerator model
Cultural relevance and responsiveness
Quality of assessment design
Experience developing curriculum for diverse learners
Selection Notification: April 17, 2026

Collaboration and Progress Check-Ins

The selected curriculum designer will work closely with LINK staff during the curriculum development period to ensure alignment with program goals and progress toward the submission deadline. Following vendor selection, the designer will participate in brief weekly check-ins over the four-week development period, which may occur through short virtual meetings (approximately 15–20 minutes) or email updates. These check-ins are intended to support alignment, provide feedback during development, and address any questions early in the process.

Prior to final submission, the curriculum designer will participate in one final (60-75 minute) review session with LINK staff to walk through the completed curriculum, confirm that all required components are included, and ensure the pacing, assessments, and instructional materials align with the Summer Learning schedule and program goals.

Budget

The total budget for this curriculum development project is $2,500, which includes curriculum development, participation in progress check-ins, and the final curriculum review session.

Submission Instructions

Please submit proposals via email to: Myaah Morgan, Director, Educational Programs at mmorgan@linkunlimited.org

Proposal Deadline: April 7, 2026, 11:59 PM