VDOE Instructional Resources That Support the Written, Taught, and Tested Curriculum in English and Math

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) website contains multiple resources to assist in aligning the curriculum that is taught with the written and tested curriculum. Use of these resources can only enhance our pedagogical practices. VDOE has done the work for us to make this necessary alignment possible with supporting resources.

Alignment of taught curriculum with the written and tested curriculum is integral to ensuring that students graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to be productive citizens. The written curriculum, based on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs), provides a framework and guidance for identifying the competencies necessary for productive citizenship.

Click on Virginia Department of Education Website: User Tips, Viewers and Hints to learn tips and hints to easily navigate the website while maximizing its many communication features. This introductory video will assist in locating the valuable instructional resources discussed throughout this article.

The remainder of this article will highlight specific resources that educators can access to strengthen their instructional practices.

Teacher Direct. Teacher Direct is a VDOE communication tool through which teachers can access new instructional resources, the latest SOL news, upcoming professional development events, a lesson plans library, as well as presentations and videos modeling instructional techniques. Click on the Teacher Direct link above to sign up to receive weekly updates and click on the video below to preview this helpful resource.

Virginia Standards of Learning and Curriculum Frameworks. The VDOE website contains resources that support the written curriculum and the VA standards and curriculum frameworks for English and mathematics.

The VDOE also provides educators with news and announcements, as well as planning and instructional resources regarding Career and Technical Education (CTE), including the revised CTE Work-Based Learning Guide, career clusters, and curriculum resources.

Content-specific resources for the taught curriculum. The taught curriculum, supporting the written curriculum, is enhanced through the resources provided on the VDOE website for mathematics and English/reading with professional development opportunities and instructional and assessment resources.

Mathematics. Click here for resources that support the taught curriculum in mathematics:

Professional development opportunities from the Mathematics SOL Institutes support the implementation of the 2009 Mathematics SOL. They are found on this page, organized by institute year and topic.

English and reading. Click here to locate resources that support the taught curriculum in English and reading. Links to these and additional instructional and assessment resources may be found in the last column, Resources for Instruction & Assessment; they include:

Watch the screencasts below to explore the multiple instructional resources for mathematics, English, and reading that support the taught curriculum.

 Special education. The VDOE provides special educators with literacy and reading resources to improve outcomes in these areas for students with disabilities, organized by school level (i.e., elementary, middle, and high school). At the high school level, for example, information is presented to link teachers with Project Graduation, a resource that supports reading outcomes at that school level. VDOE also links educators to outside technical assistance and professional development resources to expand available sources to effectively meet the needs of students with disabilities. Finally, navigate to the Special Education Program Improvement page to access training and technical assistance resources on various topics related to school improvement, including Lexile and Quantile measures.

Click on the video below to learn how to most effectively navigate the special education pages of the VDOE website and access these essential resources.

Content-specific resources outlining the tested curriculum. VDOE also provides multiple resources that support the tested curriculum, including the following:

Watch the screencasts below for an explanation of these resources and for help in navigating the tested curriculum resources for mathematics, English, and reading.

This presentation of the VDOE resources examined these resources in light of the written, taught, and tested curriculum, which creates a cycle of instructional improvement, as we begin with the end in mind and conversely, end with the beginning in mind (see Figure 1). Alignment of these resources, although challenging, allows for a mutually reinforcing system. Aligning these resources is critical to ensuring successful outcomes for students by preparing them for college, careers, and citizenship (Weiss, 2007). VDOE has made this task less difficult by supporting the development of aligned materials; all we need to do is access them.

Gareis, C., & Grant, L. (2013). Curriculum alignment: Connecting the curriculum, instruction, and student learning; District leadership support team. Presented at the College of William and Mary, December 16, 2013. Retrieved from 2013-2014 Contractor Meeting Materials, http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/school_improvement/contractor_resources/index.shtml

Virginia Department of Education. (2013). Introduction to evaluating the written, taught, and tested curriculum (Notes from slide 5). Presented at the College of William and Mary, October 22-24, 2013. Retrieved from Academic Review Tools and Materials from October 22-24, 2013 Meeting, http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/school improvement/academic reviews/

Weiss, J. (2007). Conditions for student success: The cycle of continuous instructional improvement (Working Paper 4). Seattle, WA: University of Washington, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs. Retrieved from http://crpe.org/sites/default/files/wp_sfrp4_weiss_mar07_0.pdf

 Co-Author:  Donni Davis-Perry, M.Ed.