Chiefs for Change Looks at Curriculum Reform
August 11, 2017
Chiefs for Change released a report examining how ESSA “presents new opportunities for curriculum reform,” which can be a “powerful and underused driver of school improvement.” The report profiles work in Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington, D.C. to “create the conditions for aligned standards and curricula or to directly develop and scale high-quality, standards-aligned curricular materials, and the results of their efforts.” Based on these experiences, Chiefs for Change recommends that states and districts:
- Use incentives, not mandates, to maintain local autonomy;
- Emphasize evidence – and start small if a research basis hasn’t been developed;
- Leverage teacher expertise and teacher leaders in the work;
- Use the procurement process to expand use of the highest-quality curricula;
- Create professional learning focused on curricular content; and
- Messaging matters, and external partners and validators can help