Curriculum Services

Areas and Methods of Support

Areas of Support:

• Curriculum - These services encompass unpacking content standards, scope and sequence, resource selection and development, and identifying appropriate tiered intervention supports to meet the needs of each unique learner.
• Curriculum Accessibility- Providing information and services to the districts to support the provision of accessible curricular materials as required by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Accessible Educational Materials (https://sites.google.com/muskegonisd.org/aem/)
• Instruction - Focus on helping teachers develop high-quality, research-based instructional practices in the areas of lesson design and delivery, pedagogy, student engagement, classroom management, tiered intervention delivery, and developing a safe and healthy classroom culture.  Instructional services are aligned to support teachers to be “distinguished” in the 5 Dimensions of Learning developed by the Center for Educational Leadership.
• Assessment -  Focus on helping district leadership, principals, and teachers develop, select, and implement meaningful assessment systems that yield data, which will be used for multiple purposes.  Our services emphasize formative assessment, summative assessment, growth measures, and alternative assessment methods.
• Systems - Focus on helping districts and school leaders develop and implement the required systems (communication, performance management and monitoring, barrier identification and removal, etc.) which create the conditions for transformational and sustainable change in practice.  Our consultants are experts in systems thinking, implementation science, and research based practices.
• Leadership - Recognize the importance of high quality leadership at all levels of the organization:  district, building, classroom, and community.  Our services assist districts in establishing a vision for high quality instruction, setting goals, building consensus, constituency engagement, and developing a healthy school climate and culture.
   

Methods of Support:

• Consulting - Through ongoing professional learning, collaboration, and participation in statewide networks, our consultants are prepared to work with local district educators to provide research-based advisement and solutions which are then personalized to the unique needs of the constituents we serve.  We plan WITH you, not simply FOR you.
  • Consultative services are typically delivered in a manner and format that best support the specific service request.  At times, this may be a ne-time meeting or communication; other instances may require a long-term (multi-year) commitment with a range of activities that may happen both in the district and at the MAISD service sites.
• Coaching - Our consultants and our coaches are equipped to support individuals or teams of teachers with in-district/in-classroom coaching services.  Using a research-based coaching delivery model, our coaching services are built upon best practice research and the use of student data to guide instruction.  Coaching services are customized to focus on helping each individual or team implement changes in practice to achieve the instructional goals they have set for themselves.
  • Coaching services are beneficial to ANY educator (regardless of experience) who is committed to continuous improvement in pedagogy. 
  • At the heart of the most successful coaching experience is a trusting relationship between the coach and the person(s) being coached.  We focus on this.
  • Coaching services are typically delivered over the course of multiple meetings and in-classroom activities and can take place from one month up to a year (or more).
  • Coaching services are not delivered in a 1 or 2 visit format.
• Technical Assistance/Compliance - Many of the grant funding streams, school code mandates, and reporting mandates put in place by entities like the MDE and the USED can be confusing and costly if not adhered to.  Our consultants have expertise and established networks throughout the state which can help you navigate these requirements, implement changes, and complete reports efficiently and on time.  Through developed systems and resources, we can save you time and unnecessary panic as various compliance audits happen in your district.
  • Systemic planning is the best prevention for unexpected findings in compliance matters.  We will help you understand, plan, and take action on those plans.
• Professional Development/Training - For years, the MAISD has developed and contracted with professionals regionally, across the state, and nationally to deliver some of the most cutting-edge and research-proven workshops and conferences addressing a multitude of topics and disciplines.  We continue to plan, coordinate, and deliver these options in a variety of formats and scheduling options.  This includes offering summer series, evening workshops, daytime workshops, and in-district PD as just some of the delivery options.  We attempt to conduct these in active and engaging ways that keep the needs of the adult learner in mind.  We do this by leveraging what benefits multiple districts, at a low cost to districts, and with the goal of lending continued support through coaching and consulting services after the workshop is done.