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Announcing Curriculum HQ – Collaborative Statement on New Resource + Advocacy Platform Around High-Quality Instructional Materials
On September 27, 2021, Collaborative for Student Success Director Jim Cowen released the following press release for the launch of new platform focused on high-quality instructional materials.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Collaborative for Student Success launched CurriculumHQ.org, a new online platform that brings together the latest resources, research, and advocacy to promote high-quality instructional materials that drive student success.
With the disruptions of COVID-19 at the forefront of the nation’s consciousness, it has never been more important to ensure that students are set up for success. The right choice of curriculum can be the difference-maker in academic recovery. Equitable access to the best tools and materials for learning is critical for teachers, students, and parents as schools seek to rebound from the pandemic and wisely spend an historic level of federal recovery funds.
CurriculumHQ recognizes that the task of identifying which materials are evidence-based, recommended by local and state teachers and leaders, and available in a state can be challenging for educators – and takes away precious time they could be spending driving learning with students. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 70% of educators said they didn’t have regular access to high-quality instructional materials and many spent as much as 12 hours a week searching for materials or creating their own. Educators need easy access to materials that are aligned to state standards and have a proven track record of success in improving learning outcomes, especially for those students traditionally under-resourced.
“Many teachers and education leaders need support when it comes to choosing resources and tools that ensure students are learning and succeeding. They also need more ways to let decision-makers know what’s needed to spark and accelerate learning for all students. We are pleased to present Curriculum HQ as a forum for sharing resources and best practices and driving advocacy to put high-quality materials into more students’ hands,” said Jim Cowen, Executive Director of the Collaborative for Student Success.
CurriculumHQ promotes strong, engaging resources and approaches for teaching and learning that are:
- Aligned to a state’s academic standards and informed by embedded assessments to monitor progress;
- Endorsed by educators and supported by training for teachers and families; and
- Centered on equity and adaptable for all learners and environments (including virtual).
The site will offer a hub of state education agency resources, a baseline of research on the importance of using high-quality instructional materials, and examples on how states, districts, and schools are using instructional tools and aligned educator training to drive student growth. Upon launch, the platform will feature resources and expert commentary exploring different approaches across a set of initial states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Ohio. CurriculumHQ also offers an easy-to-use tool that will afford parents and community stakeholders the opportunity to promote the expanded use of high-quality curriculum materials with state and local decision-makers.
Along with offering state-specific advocacy tools, CurriculumHQ features:
- A dynamic map with curriculum guidance, recommendations, and resources offered to districts across the states.
- Original commentary provided by Jocelyn Pickford, a former teacher and federal and state education department policy expert and current parent and public-school board member.
- Up-to-date national, state, and local news stories, research from nationally respected experts like EdReports and the KnowledgeMatters, and resources featuring the use of high-quality instructional materials and its importance to educators and students.
About the Collaborative for Student Success
CurriculumHQ and AssessmentHQ are projects of the Collaborative for Student Success.
The Collaborative for Student Success is a nonprofit advocacy organization that works to defend high standards, high-quality and aligned assessments and learning materials, and strong systems of accountability and transparency to ensure that all kids are prepared for college or career. Through capacity-building efforts with in-state organizations and collaboration with national partners, we promote fact-based public discourse and fight to advance policies and actions that promote best practices and ensure equitable outcomes for all students.
About the Collaborative for Student Success
At our core, we believe leaders at all levels have a role to play in ensuring success for K-12 students. From ensuring schools and teachers are equipped with the best materials to spotlighting the innovative and bold ways federal recovery dollars are being used to drive needed changes, the Collaborative for Student Success aims to inform and amplify policies making a difference for students and families.
To recover from the most disruptive event in the history of American public schools, states and districts are leveraging unprecedented resources to make sure classrooms are safe for learning, providing students and teachers with the high-quality instructional materials they deserve, and are rethinking how best to measure learning so supports are targeted where they’re needed most.