Designing a Curriculum that Brings Results

The Superintendent Collaborative had its second meeting of the year on February 1. Our guest speaker, Dr. Jason Harris of Columbia School District, shared his experience in building a new curriculum model for Jefferson Middle School that encourages engagement to better prep students for a successful future.

A need for change

Coming in just above an "F" rating and scoring in the lower 30s for every proficiency, a change was needed for Jefferson Middle School. Most of their students are not well-prepped for high school, and the Mississippi Department of Education flagged them for School Improvement.

This is not an unheard-of problem, as many superintendents in the group shared in the common challenge of engaging this age group.

The solution for Jefferson? Their Pathway Learning System.

A new learning system

Designing a new curriculum is no small task. For Jefferson, their Pathway Learning System was built under the goal that 90% of all students in grades 6-8 will be on or above grade level in reading, math, and science. 

How can they achieve such a goal? Their big ideas:

    •    Establish a recursive reading curriculum that consists of a standardized set of interlocking units

    •    Similarly, create an integrated math and science curriculum that also has a standardized set of interlocking units

    •    Reinforce a written curriculum using Unit Y (CCR) and Unit X (Bootcamp)

With their reimagined units of learning, the Pathway Learning System offers flexibility for teachers to take a set of predefined materials and adapt them as they see fit. Inside the units, each of the passages has approximately 52 items that are free-floating, with a combination of multiple choice, essays, and other options for assessment. 

This new curriculum is designed in a way that can be fun and modernized. The goal: Reengage students so that they can move forward confidently and be excited about what they are learning.

How do you get everyone on board?

For Jefferson, their administration had a legacy program that they didn’t like. So, a want for change was already there. That said, the ultimate “sell” for this new system was simply, “We’re not going to tell our educators how to teach, but give them the materials to be able to teach it…we’ll build the passages, and we’ll make it contemporary.”

Jefferson will be developing, testing, and implementing their new reading units this spring.

Future Topic for the Finalsite Superintendent Collaborative 

Standards-Based Grading versus Competency-Based Grading Systems 

This discussion took place after the scheduled topic and generated many opinions. We’ll take this head-on during a future meeting.  

While there are similarities between the two approaches, such as the emphasis on mastery and individualized learning, they also differ in how they define learning objectives, assess student progress, and provide feedback.

Educators may choose one approach over the other based on their educational philosophy, the needs of their students, and the context in which they teach. Some educators may even integrate elements of both approaches to create a grading system that best meets the needs of their students and aligns with their educational goals.

Resources for continued conversation

Today's discussion offered plenty of shared resources among members. If you're interested in receiving these resources, please contact Matt Miller.

Thank you to our members and Dr. Jason Harris for joining the Superintendent Collaborative for our February meeting. We look forward to what’s coming next!