EdReports reviewers from around the country share the importance of high-quality curricula that speak to students' perspectives and lived experiences.

When it comes to instructional materials, EdReports believes that standards alignment is a prerequisite for all students—but it is not the only thing students need to learn and grow. Grade level content is critical, and materials should support teachers and address the needs of local communities. Curricula should be meaningful and engaging to all students, and attention must be paid to diverse representation in authorship, protagonists, and historical perspectives and support a wide array of learners.

This summer, we convened 200 of our educator reviewers from around the country for a virtual Summer Symposium to reflect on what “quality” means when it comes to instructional materials. To center the conversation, we introduced a new resource co-created with Education First, Culturally Centered Education: A Primer, that lays out the terms and definitions underpinning the research on this topic and how that work can inform the design of materials. 

Reviewers spent time diving into EdReports’ review tools. Sessions focused on examining indicators within the tool for opportunities to provide a broad range of evidence to empower local districts to reflect on how specific curriculum may or may not address their vision for quality. Our goal for the Symposium was to create a space for dialogue where educators could share their experiences and connect curriculum to students' lived experiences. 

When we think about what quality means, we need to listen to educators who work with students and instructional materials every day. Here’s what they had to say: