what is hqim in education?

In 2010, as the last states adopted academic standards, all students in each state were finally required to learn a defined set of skills and knowledge in grades K-12 for ELA and mathematics. For the last 13 years, states have adopted aligned assessments, offered professional learning, and now are incentivizing the use of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) so all students can master standards.

A growing body of research demonstrating how many students lack access to grade level standards has been a catalyst for the HQIM movement. Before the pandemic, Education Trust reported that only 8% of students completed a full college and career preparation curriculum based on those standards.[1] In the “Opportunity Myth,” The New Teacher Project (TNTP) dug deeper, finding that, of the 720 hours students spend in school each year, only 139 hours are spent on grade appropriate assignments. TNTP also reported that only 44% of their teachers expected that their students could have success with the standards.[2] In addition, the pandemic exacerbated lack of access to grade level learning, especially among students in historically marginalized groups.

To ensure that every student has access to grade level content every day, HQIM are standards-aligned and include robust resources to support all learners. EdReports is a non-profit dedicated to promoting HQIM through, in part, evaluating elements of quality such as alignment and usability. The research they showcase on HQIM is clear:

Using HQIM is necessary but not sufficient. For maximal effectiveness, HQIM must be supported district-wide, led by an instructional leader, paired with curriculum-based professional learning, and implemented using an ongoing cycle of continuous improvement.

Several states have embraced HQIM in their districts and have seen success. College and career ready aligned curricula are slowly replacing lessons and units from Pinterest and Google when district and building leaders commit to selecting and implementing HQIM. State leaders can be key in this change. Helping district leaders understand the need, marshal resources, and adopt and use HQIM has created lasting results. In the region served by the Region 8 Comprehensive Center, for example, the Ohio Department of Education is a model for how to promote the uptake of HQIM across districts. As a result of Ohio’s efforts, students there will have better access to learning opportunities that support their academic success.

References

[1] Education Trust. (2016). Meandering Toward Graduation. MeanderingTowardGraduation_EdTrust_April2016.pdf.

[2] TNTP. (2018). The Opportunity Myth: What Students Can Show Us About How School Is Letting Them Down—and How to Fix It. https://tntp.org/assets/documents/TNTP_The-Opportunity-Myth_Web.pdf

[3] Kane, T., Owens, A., Marinell, W. Thal, D., Staiger, D. (2016). Teaching Higher: Educators’ Perspectives on Common Core Implementation. Boston, MA: Harvard University Center for Education Policy Research. Retrieved from:

https://cepr.harvard.edu/files/cepr/files/teaching-higher-report.pdf

High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) allow students to engage more deeply and meaningfully with the Texas standards and supports teachers in ensuring all students have access to high-quality and rigorous grade-level content.

The selection and implementation of curricula has historically been a focus of local education agencies and not a state-level policy consideration. However, this is changing. In 2017, CCSSO and a cohort of interested states launched the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development (IMPD) Network dedicated to ensuring that every student, every day, is engaged in meaningful, affirming, grade-level instruction. To realize this vision, research suggests that high-quality, standards-aligned curricula and professional learning connected to that curricula are crucial. The states that CCSSO’s IMPD Network currently supports include Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas as they work with their districts to adopt HQIM and provide professional development opportunities aligned to those materials (Note: Wisconsin was an IMPD network state from August 2017 until January 2022).

CCSSO developed a series of case studies to illustrate the different approaches IMPD Network states have taken with respect to their own contexts and challenges. The first is an overview of the IMPD Network and a discussion of the IMPD Network Policy Roadmap, a resource developed to guide state strategic policy development and offers a deep dive into the range of strategies these states used to support districts and put stronger materials in the hands of educators. Access the overview case study here.

The Impact of the CCSSO IMPD Network explores the innovative ways these states are supporting district decision-making and putting stronger materials in the hands of more educators. It includes measurable data on the ways state policy is having a positive impact on students through increased adoption and use of high-quality instructional materials. This resource highlights the tremendous progress states are making in ensuring teachers have the resources they need to provide high-quality instruction. Access the impact case study here. (Note: the data in this resource are from the original eight IMPD-member states, plus Louisiana. Data on the impact in more recent members of the network will be forthcoming in future reports.)

CCSSO’s IMPD Network also looked at the importance of engagement around adopting high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and the role states can play in signaling quality to the field and incentivizing adoption of HQIM. The Signaling and Incentivizing Quality case study elevates strategies to signal why high quality is important, what constitutes HQIM, and how to incentivize the selection and implementation of HQIM. Each member of the IMPD Network takes its own approach, based on the state’s unique circumstances. Access the signaling and incentivizing quality case study here.

High-quality, aligned curriculum and professional learning are critical links connecting our students with states’ rigorous, college- and career-ready standards. These two components have become even more relevant during 2020-2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced students out of school buildings for extended periods and shifted learning online. The communications and stakeholder engagement case study examines several IMPD Network states that have built allies for this work through proactively initiating ongoing, two-way communications with a variety of stakeholders — including state officials, district leaders, educators, parents, students and educational resource publishers. Access the communications and stakeholder engagement case study here.

States in the IMPD network have also used federal COVID relief funds to promote the use of HQIM in a variety of ways, through funding tutoring programs to helping implement state literacy laws to funding professional development on using HQIM. Read more about how states are using federal COVID relief here.

States interested in developing strategies to increase adoptions of high-quality instructional materials and connected professional development should refer to the IMPD Network Policy Roadmap which includes the questions that should be addressed by states. State policy plans should include framing information and detailed strategy for communications, signaling quality and incentivizing adoption of HQIM, and approaches for curriculum connected professional development and educator preparation programs to prepare new educators to recognize and use high-quality instructional materials. This policy should all be supported by a robust data collection plan that allows the state to monitor progress and impact over time.  For each area of the policy roadmap, CCSSO has cultivated, created, and collected resources that can be customized and used by other states as needed. These resources have been developed and curated by CCSSO and state education agency leaders, you can explore them here.

Learn more about CCSSO’s High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development (IMPD) Network below.