How Curriculum Transparency Improves Access and Equity for Students and Teachers

What are some of the challenges facing school districts today when it comes to curriculum?  

Historically, the field of education has always debated what students should learn and when they should learn it. These debates continue today, along with newer discussions about grade appropriate content and diversity, equity and inclusion. While funding from the federal government holds some requirements for curriculum, each state determines the curriculum for K-12 and develops the standards for each grade level and content area. Recently, with more parent engagement and an eroding level of trust in schools, curriculum has become more political and the demand for input and transparency has increased.  

The ability to organize standards-based curriculum while meeting changing expectations from the government is a constant challenge for educators in the classroom and those at the district level. Publishing the adopted curriculum—and keeping it up to date—presents additional work for staff and can become an overwhelming task.  

How do you define curriculum transparency, and why is it important?

Curriculum transparency is the process of districts providing students, parents, and the community with access to the instructional plans and learning materials used in schools. States publish the expected standards for each subject and grade level, and districts are responsible for bundling those standards together into units within a scope of sequence of when the standards are taught.  

Internal transparency within a district is critical to ensure that all students have equal access to the same content, pacing, and instructional resources, regardless of their teacher or school. District organization and transparency ensure that equitable access is afforded throughout each classroom.

Public transparency encourages parent and community involvement in schools and plays a vital role in building and maintaining trust. While the pace and delivery of content will vary by teacher, the overall course content should be published for students, parents, and community members who are interested.    

What are the advantages of using a central curriculum mapping and management platform?

A centralized curriculum mapping and management platform assists in providing teachers with resources and students with equitable access to the curriculum. Teachers can access best practices and utilize district resources and lessons instead of finding them on their own. In many cases, a new teacher may not even be aware of the resources available to them without this centralized organization.  

Using a central curriculum platform also enables updating of curriculum from one location, instead of updating school by school and teacher by teacher. It also provides each student with access to quality content because every teacher is using the same platform for planning and delivering the curriculum.  

What impact does curriculum transparency have on equity for both students and teachers?

The zip code of a school and the teacher’s number of years of experience can have a dramatic effect on the quality of the curriculum a child can access in the absence of a centralized curriculum. Using a central curriculum platform can provide better access to tools and best practices that support high-quality instruction across the district and a more equitable education for all district students. Teachers, new to the profession or new to a grade level, can access all resources, lessons, and materials in order to effectively plan for instruction right from the start. Parents and the community can support and hold districts accountable for the content and participate more fully in the education of their children.  

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Kim Tunnell, Ed.D.