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nps pilot

NPS Pilot Page

DESE Review of Pilot Curricula

ARC (2017): High-Quality; likely eligible for a state grant 

DESE Summary:

  • texts are varied, of high quality, and organized in ways that build students’ knowledge effectively

  • classroom tasks and instruction are strong

  • provided resources and strategies help teachers ensure access to grade-level content for students at multiple levels and from diverse backgrounds

  • highly structured framework with a wealth of resources provides teachers both support and flexibility

  • teachers may want to supplement with explicit instruction on language standards 

  • guidance tailored to the unique needs of English learners is less plentiful

Collaborative Classroom: Submitted for review; might be eligible for a state grant after review

  • 2016 Version partially met expectations â€‹â€‹

Fishtank (2021): High Quality; might be eligible for a state grant

DESE Summary:

  • introduces students to grade appropriate, complex texts that affirm diverse cultures and perspectives

  • lessons engage students in a range of activities designed to build their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills

  • strong classroom routines, embedded discussion practice, and a variety of rubrics guide student learning

  • materials do not provide tailored support for students with diverse needs to access materials, and guidance to build teachers’ knowledge lacks detail for impactful learning

  • a strong foundational skills resource should be used as a supplement to address the standards for reading foundational skills.

Benchmark Advance (2021): Partially Meets Standards Alignment; might be eligible for a state grant

DESE Summary: 

  • materials are well organized around specific learning objectives

  • ample and varied standards-based assessment tools

  • routines support learning

  • flexible pacing

  • quality of the core texts does not support deep understandings or rich conversations

  • lack of diversity means that many students will not see themselves represented in the materials.​​

Units of Study (2022): Not submitted for review; unlikely to be eligible for a state grant before review

  • 2018 Version could not be reviewed by DESE because it received lowest rating by EdReports​​​​​

Curricula NLC Supports

NLC supports knowledge-building curricula that DESE defines as high-quality. Some also require a strong foundational skill curriculum, such as Appleseeds.

 

ARC and Fishtank are the pilot programs that fully meet expectations. 

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In addition, we would support NPS adding EL Education curriculum to the pilot.

Needham, Massachusetts

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