Small schools often face unique curriculum challenges: limited staffing, multi-grade classrooms, and the need to make thoughtful decisions about standards, programs, and assessment systems. This section is designed to help school leaders build a coherent, sustainable curriculum that is aligned with standards, supported by meaningful assessment, and realistic for small school contexts. Here you will find guiding documents, planning tools, and real school examples to help you design, review, and strengthen your curriculum over time.
Clear learning standards and outcomes
A written, documented curriculum across grade levels
Alignment among curriculum, instruction, and assessment
Consistent assessment practices across the school
A realistic curriculum that matches staffing and schedule
Multi-year curriculum review and update plan
Instructional coherence across divisions
Use of data to inform instruction and program decisions
No written curriculum or inconsistent documentation
Curriculum depends too heavily on individual teachers
Gaps or repetition between grade levels
Too many programs and initiatives at once
Assessment practices vary widely between teachers
Difficulty aligning curriculum across divisions
Limited time for curriculum review and development
Staff turnover leading to loss of curriculum knowledge
Use these questions to assess your current practices and identify areas for improvement.
Practical tools, templates, and real school examples that you can adapt for your own school.
Detailed guidance and background information for a deeper understanding of this topic.
Use of Materials
These resources are provided for AISA member schools for internal school use and adaptation. If you adapt or share these materials, please acknowledge the AISA Small Schools Resource Hub. Materials may not be sold or publicly redistributed without permission.