
THE BIG IDEA:
High-quality instructional materials make a big difference for kids. What is chosen matters. Teachers and school leaders must also learn how to implement these materials through curriculum-based professional development.
WHAT ARE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS?
Instructional Materials are the materials, like textbooks, lesson & unit plans, and assessments, that teachers use to teach and assess student learning. Not all instructional materials are created equal. Research shows that one of the best ways to quickly improve student learning and achievement is to ensure teachers are using high-quality instructional materials in their classrooms. If teachers aren’t using high-quality and aligned instructional materials, then students won’t even get a chance to learn what they need to be successful in their core academic subjects. Materials matter and utilizing high-quality instructional materials in a classroom can make a 40 times larger impact in student achievement than reducing class size. In addition to getting high-quality instructional materials in the hands of teachers, we also need to ensure that they know how to use them. Ensuring that all schools are effectively implementing high quality instructional materials in the classroom is the quickest way to improve academic results.