ESSA │Curriculum and Instruction
The terms “curriculum” and “instruction” are broad categories that represent what is being taught to students and how those subjects are being taught by teachers. The ESSA consolidated state plan template does not include a specific section for curriculum and instruction but those topics are found throughout the drafts that states are currently circulating for review. Here you will find various subtopics that are found in current draft plans that relate to the concept of curriculum and instruction.
The identification and dissemination of effective curriculum and instructional practices is crucial to raising student achievement and closing achievement gaps. Under ESSA states must develop state academic standards around particular subject/content areas. However, there is flexibility in the law to allow states to go beyond these requirements and develop standards in additional subjects/content areas, strengthen curriculum and support instructional practices.
AIR has a long history of developing research and practical resources to support states to develop standards-based curriculum and support the use of effective instructional practice. In particular, it has staff who specialize in STEM subjects, reading and literacy, and social and emotional learning.
The sampling of resources listed below under each section are available at no cost.