Indicator 5.5 – Eastern Middle School - DEMO

Academic resources are adequate.

This indicator examines whether or not the workbook, textbook and other curricular materials used in your school are appropriate for the goals of instruction.

Curriculum is a powerful determinant of student achievement. In some cases, the cost of upgrading the curriculum seems minor, but deep change is often costly. When making a decision about programs, school staff must understand the entire situation and how the curricular resources relate to needs.

Discussion Questions

Examine the supply of textbook, workbook and other curricular materials to determine if they satisfy demands at the school.
What other materials does the school staff use to enrich the instructional program?
What has been the school's experience with the curricular materials in terms of alignment with the school's goals and with district and state standards?
Determine whether the goals and learning standards are aligned. If not, what are the problem areas and what resources are needed? What evidence is there that the resources are appropriate and provide for the best use of funds?

Activity

Have team members assess the level and cohesiveness of your goals (Key 1) and develop teaching and learning materials required for accomplishing a goal. Team members can pilot test the materials in their own classrooms, revising the materials on the basis of test results (Key 6). If the materials prove to be worthwhile, team members study their wider use and create a resource center within the school. The resource center can provide a place where staff can come together to read journals, view education tools, peruse books and catalogs, or simply engage in informal, professional conversations (Key 2). Team members can then begin to study how the available professional development (Key 4) allows for the successful implementation of the materials.

Summarizing Activity

Read two publications, "Linking Education Finance to Education Reform"and "Linking Education Finance and Performance,"found in your NEA Quality Schools Tool Box. As a group:
1. Consider the procedures you use to select resources.
2. Share ideas on what can be done in the selection process to create a climate for learning.
3. Identify some action steps for sustaining a quality learning environment.

Learn More

This indicator is related to the Making Important Decisions Together section of the Next Steps resources.

Survey Questions for Indicator 5.5

Considering both quantity and quality, please rate the adequacy of the following resources in meeting your school's goals for student learning:

Q41F: Textbooks
Q41G: Workbooks