Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Growing efforts to support the thoughtful adoption and implementation of high-quality instructional materials and professional learning now include a statewide map with roughly 80% of school districts reporting which English language arts and mathematics instructional materials they use among various grade levels.
This information was collected through a UW-Madison Wisconsin Center for Educational Research statewide survey. Local education agencies can submit or update their information at any time through the website, or as part of the annual survey. The purpose of sharing these results is to enable districts to observe instructional materials being used, negotiate purchasing discounts with neighbors, or contract for professional learning from a vendor in a consortium using the same materials.
Mounting evidence suggests that providing teachers with access to high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials and curriculum-based professional learning can result in improvement in student outcomes, making this a research-based continuous improvement strategy. EdReports is one tool to determine whether instructional materials are aligned to Wisconsin’s academic standards in English language arts and mathematics. If instructional materials are not included on EdReports, schools can use the Instructional Materials Evaluation Tool from Achieve to evaluate alignment.
Schools can also choose professional learning providers to aid in adoption, implementation, and ongoing support with high-quality instructional materials. Rivet Education evaluates and recommends the high-quality professional learning partners who provide curriculum-aligned services in Wisconsin through the Professional Learning Partner Guide.
ESSER funds can be used to purchase high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials and corresponding professional learning. For more information, visit the DPI Instructional Materials and Professional Learning web page.