A Curriculum Deep Dive You Can Count On

Shameless plug alert: the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) is out with a new journal edition and I was privileged to co-author one of the articles. Curriculum that Counts is all about the ways states can lay the foundation for districts to implement high-quality curriculum and professional learning, and my piece highlights four different state approaches with advice for other leaders exploring this work.

OK, enough about me. The reason I’m so excited about this journal is that it has something for everyone working to expand access to better materials across the country. 

  • Curious about specific state policies governing textbook selection? RAND authors Julia Kaufman and Sy Doan have you covered in this helpful roundup. 
  • Want to unpack some of the challenges with implementation of quality materials? David Steiner outlines common barriers and why and how they might be overcome.
  • Love “Sold a Story” and eager to know more about efforts to promote high-quality literacy instruction? Ruth Wattenberg digs into the need for knowledge-building ELA materials in this meaty piece.

The issue also offers poignant opinion pieces by Andy Rotherham, who pulls back the curtain on his work on the Virginia State Board of Education; Lu Young, who shares teacher-centered board priorities in Kentucky, and NASBE President Paolo DeMaria, who outlines change management structures for advancing quality materials.

Thank you, NASBE, for compiling these resources to drive state action on behalf of teachers and kids.

Jocelyn Pickford is an education policy and communications specialist focusing on understanding and promoting practitioner-informed public policy across the private, public and non-profit sectors as a Senior Affiliate with HCM Strategists. She began her career in education as a high school English teacher in a regular and special education inclusion classroom and is now a public school parent and recent member of her local district school board. Previously, Jocelyn led the design, launch and implementation of the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship at the U.S. Department of Education to integrate teachers into the national education policy dialogue. Jocelyn’s passion for her work was seeded during her own public school education and took root during her classroom teaching experience in Fairfax County, Virginia, where she led action research and presented instructional materials to a variety of audiences. Jocelyn earned her bachelor’s degree from Trinity College (CT), working as a professional writer and editor prior to becoming a teacher, and obtained her master’s in secondary education from the George Washington University. Jocelyn lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and two children.