Instructional Curriculum/Resource Task Force

Kansas Instructional Curriculum/Resource Adoption Process Guide
 
The Kansas State Department of Education in conjunction with many Prek - 16 math leaders across the state recently completed work around the area of curriculum/resource adoption.
 
Why is there a Curriculum/Resource Adoption Process?
Kansas teachers and administrators need to feel confident that they are choosing mathematics resources that will positively impact their students’ achievement. 
 
Curriculum and other instructional resources play a significant role in the mathematics that is taught and learned. Educators will remember from education courses the various types of curricula explained by research. The types described by Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, & Boschee (2012) are the recommended curriculum, written curriculum, supported curriculum, taught curriculum, tested curriculum, and learned curriculum. When researching and analyzing curriculum keep in mind the outcomes expected for your school or district and how the different types impact what students actually learn.
 
It is difficult to separate curriculum from the instructional practices employed by teachers when analyzing effectiveness. A quality curriculum should be provided to educators but quality professional development that is continous and focused must also be provided (National Research Council, 2001). Educators should be aware of the interplay between the curriculum adopted and the instruction provided.
 
Once a curriculum is provided to educators, a purposeful and thoughtful plan must be utilized when implementing the units and the individual lessons. This does not mean that the curriculum is adhered to without thought toward the needs of the students that are in the classrooms. Educators need to understand those educational needs and make informed modification and adaptations within the curriculum as necessary, without losing sight of the end goal in mathematics. Maintaining rigor is essential!
 
As a group of committed mathematics educators we believe that all students can learn mathematics at high levels and that all students deserve a robust, rigorous, and appropriate education. Mathematics education is constantly evolving, and as a result, mathematics resources continually evolve. We recognize that mathematics resources are an investment for your school and our children, so we are providing this document as a guide for your resource adoption process. We hope this document will assist in focusing on important mathematics for students now and in the future.
Task Force Resources
 TitleCategoryDescription
Kansas Instructional Curriculum/Resource Adoption Process GuideReleased 8-1-18Document to aid districts when adopting a curriculum/resource for mathematics.
Math Textbook and Program Review Sites
 TitleDescription
EdReports.org ReviewsEdReports.org, an independent nonprofit that provides free web-based reviews of instructional materials, released reviews on four more K-8 math textbook series. Educators from across the country worked diligently to analyze these materials and provide hig
Evidence for ESSAMath Program Review Site
Louisiana Curricular Resources Annotated ReviewsState of Louisiana reviewed many textbooks and has a list of recommended texts as well as their evaluation available on their website.
Louisiana Dept of Education Online Instructional Materials ReviewWebsite with a list of online materials that have been reviewed for focus, coherence, and rigor.
State of Hawaii Textbook ReviewState of Hawaii conducted reviews of various textbooks and provides feedback on their findings.
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)Math Program Review Site
Math Instructional Material Review Resources
 TitleDescription
What Needs to Change in Instructional Materials: MathA panel of experts met to pinpoint the biggest problems with today’s math textbooks: here’s what they found
Three Ways You Can Improve Your Math Textbook TomorrowA mathematics specialist shares quick adaptations you can apply to any textbook to quickly improve it to better serve students.
CCSSO-NCSM Materials Analysis Project ToolCurriculum Materials Analysis Tools recently developed by a committee led by Bill Bush at the University of Louisville
K-8 Publishers CriteriaReview information published by Student Achievement Partners
Kansas Guide to Learning: Reasoning and Quantitative LiteracyThe primary focus of this project was creating rubrics aimed at evaluating whether instructional and professional development resources are aligned with the Kansas College and Career Ready Standards for Mathematics.
Contact Information

 

 

Jennifer Hamlet
STEM Program Manager (Math)
jhamlet@ksde.org
(785) 296-6823

  David Fernkopf
Assistant Director
dfernkopf@ksde.org
(785) 296-8447

 


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