Are U.S. Teachers Using High-Quality Instructional Materials? Data Note: Insights from the American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-2575/11-1-BMGF

• Published in: RAND Corporation
• Main Authors: Kaufman, Julia H, Tosh, Katie, Mattox, Teryn
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: RAND Corporation 2020
• Subjects: Curriculum; Educational Quality; Elementary School Teachers; High School Teachers; Instructional Materials; Instructional Program Divisions; Language Arts; Mathematics Teachers; Middle School Teachers; Networks; Programs; Teacher Behavior
• DOI: 10.7249/RR2575.11-1

In many states, college and career-ready standards for mathematics and English language arts (ELA) are more rigorous than ever before. However, research suggests that teachers do not always have access to high-quality curricula that reflect key elements of states' college and career-ready standards. Influenced by this research, as well as studies finding significant relationships between curricula and student achievement, the Council of Chief State School Officers formed a High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development (IMPD) Network of eight states in 2017 to support the adoption and use of high-quality materials. The RAND Corporation's American Teacher Panel (ATP) has documented which instructional materials public school teachers are using regularly for classroom instruction in mathematics and ELA. In this data note, the authors specifically consider the percentage of U.S. teachers reporting that they used high-quality materials for mathematics and ELA instruction during the 2017-2018 school year. The authors also consider which factors were related to whether teachers reported using high-quality materials. These data also provide some baseline indication of high-quality curriculum use in the IMPD Network states.