At the heart of Sacramento Poetry Week is the Ten Twenty Six Curriculum, a free, locally sourced poetry collection designed for classrooms across the region. Named in honor of October 26, Sacramento Poetry Day, this living curriculum celebrates the voices of Sacramento poets past and present while giving students direct access to the power of poetry.
The Ten Twenty Six Curriculum features work from contemporary writers such as Andru Defeye, Diamond Key, Khaya Osborne, Xico Gonzalez, and J. Rowe, alongside Sacramento legends including José Montoya and Francisco X. Alarcón. With multiple selections available in Spanish, the collection works to reflect the cultural richness of our city and ensures students see themselves represented in the literature they study.
Aligned with California Core Standards (K–12), the curriculum is designed to meet educators’ needs while addressing themes of mental health, self-confidence, equality, and empathy. Each year, new works are added, making the Ten Twenty Six Curriculum an evolving resource that grows with Sacramento’s poetry community.By placing local voices at the center of the classroom, the Ten Twenty Six Curriculum turns poetry from an abstract art form into something alive, accessible, and deeply connected to the daily lives of Sacramento students.
