FOR RELEASE CONTACT: Tonya Harris
November 7, 2023 tharris@cgcs.org
Council Releases Resource to Help Educators
Create a High-Quality Curriculum
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 – In an effort to provide instructional leaders in urban school districts with a core set of criteria for what a high-quality curriculum looks like, the Council of the Great City Schools recently released Supporting Excellence: A Framework for Developing, Implementing, and Sustaining a High-Quality District Curriculum.
This is the second edition of the report; the first one was released in 2017.
Developed though the combined efforts of the Council’s staff, national experts, and academic leaders from Council member school districts, this resource is designed to help districts:
- Determine the quality and alignment of curriculum guidance to clarify the district’s learning expectations at each grade-level with a focus on student assets and diverse learners;
- Ensure that curriculum guidance includes appropriate scaffolding and support for English language learners, students with disabilities, and historically marginalized students that is rigorous and aligned to district standards; and
- Provide support in their curriculum guidance for addressing unfinished learning during Tier I instruction that also attends to the social, emotional, and well-being of students.
Additional key features in the second edition of the Supporting Excellence Curriculum Framework include guidance for incorporating technology into the instructional process; embracing culturally relevant pedagogy and racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity; providing equitable instruction across content areas; and optimizing student voice, assets, and identity. The framework is organized by nine key features that undergird high-quality curriculum guidance capable of improving districtwide student achievement.
“This document is a ground-breaking resource that school districts can use to strengthen their curriculum and goes even further than our 2017 report to provide tools to enhance the quality of the classroom materials that teachers use to boost academic achievement and prepare students for college and careers,” said Council Executive Director Ray Hart. “We encourage district leaders to use the actionable recommendations in this framework for developing, implementing, and continuously improving upon their district's curriculum.”
An accompanying rubric will be released soon to assist big-city school districts in the development of high-quality curriculum guidance.
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About The Council of the Great City Schools
The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools. Composed of 78 large city school districts, its mission is to promote the cause of urban schools and to advocate for inner-city students through legislation, research and media relations. The organization also provides a network for school districts sharing common problems to exchange information, and to collectively address new challenges as they emerge to deliver the best possible education for urban youth. www.cgcs.org
