Tools, Resources, and Publications
Investing American Rescue Plan Funds Strategically and Effectively
This document lays out a framework for the nation’s large city school systems to spend the new federal dollars strategically and effectively. It sets out overarching goals for the use of funds; articulates broad investment strategies; defines principles for the effective use of funds; and asks a series of questions that leaders and stakeholders should ask themselves as they embark on planning, implementation, and evaluation efforts. The document also draws on lessons learned from previous infusions of federal dollars and summarizes the main provisions of the federal legislation and agency guidance. https://www.cgcs.org/Page/1283
Now updated with Interim Progress Assessment Guides that provide guidance and support to school districts in assessing the investments related to instructional materials and resources. Districts can use this document in the ongoing process of investment planning, implementation, and oversight to ensure that federal relief funds are allocated strategically and effectively. Here is the link to the guides, including Investing in Instructional Resources and Student Support Services.
Addressing Unfinished Learning After COVID-19 School Closures
While this was released following school closures due to Covid-19, the academic team continues to provide guidance for implementing a districtwide approach to addressing unfinished learning in a just-in-time rather than a just-in-case model. The document emphasized that school districts would need to address the significant social and emotional toll the crisis has taken on children and widespread unfinished learning. We have always had students who entered a grade level with unfinished learning; however, our previous, well-intentioned attempts to use remediation programs had the impact of keeping students from engaging in grade-level content and resulted in their falling further behind their peers. We continue to highlight districts that are making progress in accelerating student learning and achievement in English Language Arts/Literacy and mathematics.
The document highlights key transition grades and illustrates how to focus on essential content for the grade. This approach provides the space and opportunities to address underlying unfinished learning just in time for all students to engage in grade level work, and acquire facility with language demands, skills, and concepts to accelerate their learning. To illustrate these approaches, the document provides examples of just-in-time scaffolds to accelerate student learning in mathematics and English language arts. https://tinyurl.com/ya4g73f9
District Considerations for Universal Dyslexia Screening: Ensuring Appropriate Implementation and Instruction for English Learners
Many states across the country now have policies requiring districts to implement universal dyslexia screeners and/or processes that identify students at risk for reading difficulties and dyslexia. In response to Council members request for more guidance on the utilization of universal dyslexia screeners with English learners, a brief was developed. The purpose of this brief is to (1) share potential challenges regarding the implementation of universal dyslexia screening for English learners (ELs) and (2) highlight considerations that ensure English learners are appropriately screened given their language development trajectory and the foundational literacy instruction ELs have received. Furthermore, the brief offers considerations for the appropriate interpretation and use of screener results when districts are required to universally screen for dyslexia, including for students who have limited oral language development and little to no knowledge of English phonemes (e.g., when sound/letter correspondence differs between languages with different writing systems). Read the document here.
Professional Development Framework
This guide presents district instructional leaders and staff with a core set of criteria for what high-quality professional development entails. What makes this document different and useful is the focus on practical issues of district-level implementation in multiple teaching and learning environments. This is a guide designed by practitioners for practitioners, and it was important to the advisory committee and project team to develop a resource that provides clear, concrete guidance for district leaders based on our collective experience with best practices—and common pitfalls—in selecting, designing, implementing, and sustaining high quality professional development that not only represents what has traditionally worked in the past, but is nimble enough to meet the demands of the present.
The guide lays out a working definition of high-quality professional development, and then briefly reviews the research on what makes professional learning effective including lessons from the field. The framework then presents a set of preconditions and design principles of high-quality professional learning. These principles touch on the “why” (What is the purpose of professional development? How does it serve students, teachers, leaders, and the district as a whole?), the “what” (What knowledge or skills should professional development provide or focus on?), the “who” (Who are we targeting? Who should have access to professional learning opportunities, and who should be deployed to provide, support, and reinforce this professional learning?), and the “how” (How should professional development be structured, delivered, and evaluated to best improve instructional outcomes?). To illustrate these principles in action, the framework then provides a set of annotated exemplars from districts around the country. The academic team continues to make explicit connections between this framework and the recently updated, Supporting Excellence Framework to support effective implementation of the curriculum. Read the full document here.
Supporting Excellence Curriculum Framework, Second Edition
The Council shared an updated framework, the second edition of the Supporting Excellence Curriculum Framework which includes additional areas of focus:
• Standards-aligned expectations for student work and writing.
• Instructional coherence within and across grade levels and learning environments.
• Culturally and linguistically relevant instruction.
• Current research and best practices on addressing unfinished learning, scaffolding, and support for diverse student populations (including English Language Learners, Students with Disabilities, and gifted students).
• Addressing social-emotional learning and trauma.
• Expanded instructional use of technology.
The Curriculum Framework Advisory Committee comprised of Chief Academic Officers, curriculum leaders from the four core content areas, Bilingual Education, and Special Education from our member districts provided guidance and feedback during the revision process as well as national experts who served as technical advisors. Access the full document here.
Curriculum Quality Rubric
Based on the second edition of the Supporting Excellence: A Framework for Developing, Implementing, and Sustaining a High-Quality District Curriculum, the Academic Team revised a rubric members can use to evaluate the quality of their curriculum guidance materials. The rubric will be reviewed by members of the Achievement and Professional Development Taskforce during the 2025 CGCS Legislative Conference and by several curriculum leaders in mathematics, English Language Arts, bilingual education, and special education from our member districts to provide additional feedback and test the rubric using their curriculum documents. The first version of the Curriculum Quality Rubric: A Self-Assessment Tool for Districts (https://tinyurl.com/t8xh85hs) is now in use in curriculum reviews. The academic team revised the Curriculum Quality Rubric associated with the Supporting Excellence Framework (Second Edition) focusing on the newly included key features first, followed by revising the existing sections. The final Curriculum Quality Rubric (Second Edition) will be released in Spring 2026.
Academic Key Performance Indicators
The Council developed academic key performance indicators (KPIs) in a process like the one used to develop operational KPIs. Using feedback from the Achievement and Professional Development Task Force, indicators were selected for their predictive ability and linkage to progress measures from a list of 200 potential KPIs.
Since SY 2016-17, the indicators have been refined and are part of the annual KPI data collection and reporting. This now enables districts to compare their performance with similar urban districts and to network to address shared challenges. Access the latest KPI report here.