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