Arkansas's Performance
Strong
Why does this matter?
Curricula—often called instructional materials—are the core materials that teachers use to deliver instruction. They are designed to be used by teachers to give students access to grade-level content standards and support a coherent sequence and progression of grade-appropriate knowledge and skills. “High-quality” curricula have been vetted by the state or a designated partner against a set of standards. This process includes evidence that the curriculum aligns with the state’s student standards, helps build content knowledge, and reflects the existing body of research on reading. High-quality curricula boost student outcomes.1 In fact, the difference in impact on student learning between high- and low-quality curricula can be greater than the difference between a new teacher and one with three years of experience.2
Why does Arkansas stand out?
Arkansas requires districts to select reading core curricula materials from an identified list. The state also provides guidance and/or evaluation tools to districts to aid in the selection of high-quality supplemental materials for both English Learners and struggling readers. Additionally, districts are required to publish the curricula they use. Arkansas also allocates funds for reading curriculum materials.
To support teachers’ use of high-quality curricula, the state has hired about 80 literacy specialists to work in the highest-needs schools, focusing on training teachers on reading and on how to teach these curricula. The state’s law is very explicit that literacy specialists can go into classrooms and provide direct coaching and support (which does not factor into teacher evaluation), since in some states, teacher contracts have prohibited literacy specialists from providing direct feedback to teachers. The state enforces curriculum requirements by tying funding directly to whether districts use approved curricula. To monitor districts’ use of curricula, districts provide assurances in annual reports about which curricula they use as their primary instructional tool(s).
What are the key actions Arkansas should take?
See what these exemplars are doing in this policy area:
Key Resources
State of the States 2024: Elementary Reading
Explore five policy actions states can take to strengthen implementation of the science of reading.
State Reading Policy Action Guide
Discover how states can implement and sustain strong reading instruction.
References
- Jackson, K., Makarin, A. (2018). Can online off-the-shelf lessons improve student outcomes? Evidence from a field experiment. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 10(3), 226-254. Retrieved from https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20170211
- Kane, T. (2016). Never judge a book by its cover—use student achievement instead. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/never-judge-a-book-by-its-cover-use-student-achievment-instead/
- U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics (2022). Table 203.72: Public elementary and secondary school enrollment, by locale and state: Fall 2021. Digest of Educational Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_203.72.asp
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TNTP. (2018). The opportunity myth: What students can show us about how school is letting them down—and how to fix it. https://tntp.org/assets/documents/TNTP_The-Opportunity-Myth_Web.pdf