School District of Philadelphia: Curriculum Equity Initiative


Inclusive curriculum units

Office of Curriculum and Instruction: Mission Statement

The School District of Philadelphia’s curriculum is culturally and linguistically inclusive and provides teachers and leaders with resources and strategies to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and discourse around meaningful and relevant grade-level content, while recognizing the brilliance and experiences our students bring to the classroom.

Board Goals and Guardrails

2020-2021 School Board of Education Goals and Guardrails and relevant data

The Academic Framework

A description of our academic framework


Culturally and Linguistically Inclusive Framework

Eliminating the predictability of success and failure that currently correlates with any social or cultural factor, through ongoing analysis of disproportionality data--with a laser focus on student achievement

Curriculum Resources : Kindergarten

A sample of the resources


Curriculum Resources :

Grades 4th and 8th

A sample of the resources


Personnel

Who were the contributors to this work?

Curriculum Resources :

Grades 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th

A sample of the resources


Professional Development

Sample Professional Development

Major Components of the Curriculum:

  1. Curriculum Maps

  2. Pacing Guide/Scope and Sequence - A Year At A Glance and Quarters At A Glance

  3. Unit Plan/Overview

  4. Lesson Guidance and Learning Activities

  5. Teacher Facilitation Guide

  6. Course Overview of Instructional Routines

  7. Formative, Lesson-level Assessments

  8. Summative Unit Assessments

  9. Interim Assessments

Major Components of Culturally and Linguistically Inclusive Curriculum Units

  • Priority and Supporting Standard

  • Culturally and Historically Responsive Literary Pursuits

  • Essential Questions

  • Standards Aligned Pre and Post Assessments

  • Performance Tasks

  • Aligned Core instructional resources and supplemental resources

Professional Development Strategy Culturally and Linguistically Inclusive Units

  1. Summer PD to develop a core group of teachers on implementation of the Curriculum Units

  2. District-wide Professional development will be the springboard to deep content based job embedded PD during common planning time with protocols provided.

  3. District-wide office hours to provide live support to teachers on implementation of the curriculum units and essential EL and SPED instructional practices.

  4. PD will focus on three key elements: research/theory (framework), content, and essential instructional practices.

Tier 1 2021-22 SY: We will be phasing in curriculum writing for the content areas below and therefore are providing revised that provide guidance to the end user the teacher to support implementation of the curriculum.

  • ELA 4-12 Comprehensive Instructional Guide, Pacing Guide/Scope and Sequence - A Year At A Glance and Quarters At A Glance

  • Math K-3 Comprehensive Instructional Guide, Pacing Guide/Scope and Sequence - A Year At A Glance and Quarters At A Glance

  • Science K-12 Comprehensive Instructional Guide , Pacing Guide/Scope and Sequence - A Year At A Glance and Quarters At A Glance

  • Social Studies Instructional Expectations, Pacing Guide/Scope and Sequence - A Year At A Glance and Quarters At A Glance

Tier 2 and Tier 3 Integrated Essential EL and SPED Instructional Practices for all Students

ELD Instructional Guides

  • This English Language Development Instructional Guide has been developed to support language acquisition in ALL academic disciplines and guide ALL teachers of English learners (ELs) in implementing high-leverage practices that facilitate both language acquisition and content learning.

  • The guiding principles in the ELD Framework reflect SDP’s overarching philosophy of equity, access and inclusion for educating English Learners as well as aligns with other SDP Instructional Guides

SPED Instructional Guides

  • Grounded in current evidence-based research

  • Provides guidance for special education teachers, general education teachers, and school leaders

  • Provides practical practices proven to increase student achievement

  • Provides foundational knowledge and practices to support all disability types

  • Promotes inclusive practices that is designed to support all learners

How PRINCIPALS support this work:

  • Develop a working knowledge of the curriculum content for all subjects/courses to effectively monitor delivery of the curriculum;

  • Translate the importance of effective curriculum and instruction practices on a daily basis;

  • Monitor the delivery of the district curriculum through the following basic strategies:

a. Walk-through observations

b. Data Walks

c. Formal classroom observations

d. Periodic review of lesson plans and curriculum documents

  • Ensure effective instructional delivery;

  • Collaborate with individuals and learning teams;

  • Work with teams to review and interpret assessment data, set goals, and plan for continuous improvement of achievement;

  • Update School Improvement Plans to support effective curriculum management;

  • Ensure that student progress in achievement is reported regularly to families in an understandable manner;

  • Facilitate and participate in professional development.

Expectations of TEACHERS

  • Deliver the District curriculum, using strategies most effective for the students;

  • Assess student learning with a variety of classroom, district, and state assessments;

  • Use assessment data to drive instructional decisions;

  • Involve students in the learning and assessing process;

  • Involve families in the learning process;

  • Communicate strengths and weaknesses to students, parents, and others as appropriate;

  • Participate in professional development.