Across the United States, school districts invest heavily in new curricula, hoping to boost student outcomes. However, a crucial element for success is often overlooked: ensuring that all educators—from teachers to superintendents—work in alignment with the curriculum’s design and goals. Too often, leadership focuses on management while teachers focus on pedagogy, creating a disconnect that hinders real progress.
The most effective approach isn’t just purchasing materials; it’s building a cohesive system where leaders understand how to support teachers in implementing those materials effectively. This means providing structures for preparation, ensuring equitable access for all students, and using data to inform coaching—all while fostering deep understanding of the curriculum itself among both teachers and administrators.
The District 18 Case Study
Relay, an education leadership organization, demonstrated this principle in New York City’s District 18, where 82% of students are economically disadvantaged and the majority are students of color. Over one school year, Relay coaches worked with teachers and leaders to fully integrate a high-quality curriculum. Prior leadership development had already established District 18 leaders as instructional experts with tools to develop teachers.
The key was leaders learning alongside teachers, building a shared understanding of the curriculum. This allowed leaders to observe, facilitate, and provide targeted feedback in planning meetings—directly setting teachers and students up for success. The results were significant: proficiency rates rose by 11.1 points in English Language Arts, nearly closing the gap with the city average. Fifth-graders saw the most substantial gains, at 27.1 percentage points, outpacing their peers across the city.
Three Pillars of Effective Implementation
Relay’s success in District 18 rested on three core principles:
- Instructionally Fluent Leadership: Effective leaders aren’t just administrators; they understand how to deliver curriculum-based feedback that drives teacher and student growth. They can model excellent teaching and guide teachers to plan for all students without lowering expectations.
- Aligned Capacity Building: This goes beyond training teachers in isolation. All levels—teachers, principals, and district leaders—must be supported cohesively. Relay coaches worked with teachers to internalize lessons while simultaneously equipping leaders with the skills to provide ongoing support.
- Long-Term Sustainability: True transformation requires shifting responsibility to school leaders over time. By year three, leaders should independently analyze data, identify gaps, and lead their teams effectively. Relay’s gradual release strategy empowered leaders to coach independently, ensuring long-term success.
A Shift in Focus
Most curriculum providers focus solely on teacher training. Relay takes a different approach, supporting educators at all levels to create a truly aligned system. By equipping leaders to effectively lead instruction and teachers to implement materials with integrity, schools can achieve rapid and sustainable gains.
District 18’s gains underscore this point: when leaders and teachers work in unison, student outcomes improve dramatically. When we can get school leaders closer to the classroom and deeply versed in instruction—and when we can get teachers to deeply understand their resources and have ongoing support—student growth and strong outcomes follow.
