"We're looking for high-quality curricular materials aligned to Massachusetts standards. Do you have any advice?"
It's an important question, and one we hear frequently. The CURATE project is our response. We convene panels of Massachusetts teachers to review and rate evidence on the quality and alignment of specific comprehensive core curricular materials, then publish their findings in user-friendly reports for educators across the Commonwealth to consult to support informed local decision-making about curricula. The Department does not engage in monetary exchanges with any publisher through CURATE.
CURATE panels review only core materials that have already been found by an independent evaluation process to be partially or fully aligned to college- and career-ready standards. Core materials are comprehensive print or digital materials that cover all the knowledge, skills, and practices outlined in the college- and career-ready standards for the content area. They are designed for use as the standalone primary instructional materials for core instruction through which all students access grade-level content standards during a year or semester of study, to support coherent sequence and progression of grade-appropriate knowledge, skills, and practices.
High-quality curricular materials exhibit a coherent sequence of lessons that target learning of grade-appropriate skills and knowledge through instructional strategies that are well supported by research and other characteristics such as engaging content and inclusive design. Some factors in quality are nonnegotiable, while others vary by context: for example, compatibility with a school's technology infrastructure or cultural relevance to its student population.
Aligned to the DESE Educational Vision, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) provide a strong foundation for all students, particularly students from historically underserved groups and communities, to have "equitable opportunities to excel at grade level (or beyond)" and support teachers to do what they do best: make learning relevant and interactive for students while also providing data-informed, targeted individualized supports.
CURATE reports are intended to be a starting place for a local education agency's robust, equity-centered process to investigate, select, and well implement high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) for their localized context. To generate CURATE reports, CURATE teacher panelists review sample materials as well as other evidence, such as Gateway evaluation ratings (e.g., EdReports), publisher responses, and survey data from Massachusetts teachers who are already using the curricular materials. CURATE reviews do not entail review of every lesson and text. Districts should engage in a robust evaluation and selection process to determine which of the available materials will well serve and strongly support their students and teachers. Adjustments and adaptations may be necessary during implementation to meet each LEA's localized equity priorities.
Any product with an overall rating of Meets Expectations qualifies for a statewide master agreement designed to streamline the procurement process for schools and districts choosing to adopt it. The table below shows products on the master agreement as of our last web update; please note that other products may also be eligible and currently in the negotiation or approval process. Please email DESE-CURATE@mass.gov for more information about how to use the Master Agreement.
For more information about CURATE, please email DESE-CURATE@mass.gov
Last Updated: July 2, 2024
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Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.