Curriculum-based professional learning focuses on the implementation of high-quality instructional materials in ongoing and meaningful ways that lead to improvements in teachers’ instruction and students’ learning. Although it may sound straightforward, curriculum-based professional learning is about more than simply studying the materials. It is not uncommon for educators to confuse curriculum-based professional learning with more simplistic orientations to curriculum or with other forms of high-quality professional learning.

Curriculum-based professional learning includes educators experiencing the curriculum in the role of students, examining both the content and pedagogy necessary for effective instruction, and deepening their facility with the curriculum over time. It is grounded in high-quality educative curriculum materials, which have not only rigorous content for students but information for teachers that builds their own knowledge and implementation of the content.

Curriculum-based professional learning does:

• Focus on the integrity of implementation of high-quality curriculum and instructional materials that are highly rated by independent assessors (e.g., EdReports) and include educative components that build educators’ knowledge of content and pedagogy.
• Engage educators in the same kind of inquiry-based learning they are expected to provide for their students — for example, by working through curriculum lessons and engaging in continuous improvement cycles to examine their strategies and test improvement ideas.
• Use active and collaborative learning experiences that encourage teachers to challenge their beliefs, improve their instructional practices, and expand their content knowledge — for example, through PLCs, grade- or school-level teams, coaching, and improvement cycles.
• Align with the principles of high-quality professional learning outlined in the Standards for Professional Learning.

Curriculum-based professional learning does not:

• Consist solely of sessions focused on orientation to the curriculum or instructional materials.
• Focus on content outside of the curriculum and instructional materials or on building teachers’ content knowledge in ways disconnected from the curriculum.
• Rely on siloed or disconnected learning sessions with no progression of skills and lessons over time.
• Use curricula that have not been vetted for quality and effectiveness.

The tools on the following pages are designed to help you understand the difference between curriculum-based professional learning and other approaches, determine whether you are currently engaging in curriculum-based professional learning, and consider next steps for standards-aligned implementation.

Are you engaging in curriculum-based professional learning?

Instructions: Consider the characteristics of curriculum-based professional learning in the left column and mark whether your professional learning addresses that characteristic. Then note how you are addressing it and how you could begin or improve your efforts to do so. 

Questions to consider and discuss

• Describe aspects of curriculum-based professional learning in which you are currently engaged and how you can build on them.
• What aspects of curriculum-based professional learning are you missing, and which will you address first?
• What additional information or resources do you need to strengthen your curriculum-based professional learning?

Make the shift to curriculum-based professional learning

 Instructions: The following table describes shifts in design and structure that are necessary to move from traditional professional development to high-quality curriculum-based professional learning. For each aspect, begin by considering where you are in making this shift. Then determine where to focus your efforts by ranking each aspect as a low, medium, or high priority and circle those that are currently a high priority.

What is your role in implementing the Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction standard?

Instructions: The Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction standard of Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning can help educators shape curriculum-based professional learning and build high-quality instructional practices. The standard states: Professional learning results in equitable and excellent outcomes for all students when educators prioritize high-quality curriculum and instructional materials for students, assess student learning, and understand curriculum and implement through instruction (Learning Forward, 2022).

Circle or highlight your role in the following table to review how you can support the Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction standard in your school or system’s professional learning. Then answer the reflection questions below the table.

For more information about how to move from initial to ideal implementation on each construct of this standard and learn how to implement this standard in concert with the other 10 standards, go to standards.learningforward.org/ic-map-tool/

Reflection questions 

• What are you doing well to address the Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction standard?
• What areas and steps do you need to focus on more?
• What resources will you use to improve your implementation?