Tennessee Tackles High-Quality Instructional Materials

In 2023, NIET expanded our support for districts implementing high-quality instructional materials through the Tennessee Literacy Implementation Network and Tennessee Math Implementation Grant. Both were created with funding from the state to support the implementation of high-quality English language arts (ELA) and math instructional materials for pre-K–12 students.

Ensuring high-quality instructional materials have an impact 

Too often, teachers receive limited training on new high-quality curricula and are on their own in figuring out how to implement them in the classroom. This is particularly true in rural districts with fewer resources for professional learning and coaching. Through the Literacy Implementation Network and Math Implementation Grant, teachers and leaders are supported to more effectively use the high-quality curricula their districts adopted.

While the Math Implementation Grant allows districts the autonomy to customize and target their implementation support to suit their own local needs, the Literacy Implementation Network is designed to allow districts to learn from one another within a network. NIET is working with 12 districts in the Mid-Cumberland and South Central regions as part of the Literacy Implementation Network, and with 29 districts across the state as part of the Math Implementation Grant. Tennessee propelled high-quality math curriculum through a two-year grant that gave districts funding to select a partner to support their implementation. This implementation support provides all layers of school and district staff support in using the state’s Instructional Practice Guides and Instructional Focus Documents and focuses on district actions to build capacity for district leaders, principals, math coaches, and teachers.

NIET is supporting each district to implement a high-quality math curriculum in ways that build on their unique needs and strengths as a district while incorporating practices that enable all students to engage with and succeed in math. Success in math is a key part of districts’ plans for strengthening other areas of STEM education and expanding students’ opportunities.

The key to the collaborative structure of the Tennessee Literacy Implementation Network is mentor districts, which have multiple years of high-quality implementation experience and bring this expertise to support districts that have adopted new materials in the past year. The networks build the capacity of educators to recognize how high-quality instructional materials impact the texts that students are reading, the alignment to grade-level standards in questions and tasks, and the opportunities for students to make choices and take greater ownership of their learning. Learning walks, focused monthly professional development, and collaborative preparation opportunities have resulted in improved instructional practices and student outcomes.

About the 2023 NIET Annual Report

The 2023 NIET Annual Report highlights key milestones and achievements over the past year as we have supported partners around the country in building the capacity of educators and unleashing the power of teacher leadership. Read about NIET’s partnerships across the country and how these partnerships are leading to significant impacts on student achievement in the full report here.