Create a Comprehensive, Rigorous, and Coherent Curricular Program

Never before have instructional leaders faced such urgent challenges in their curriculum work. Curriculum standards (Common Core) and assessments (PARCC) are now linked to college and career readiness goals. Further, in many states, principals and teacher effectiveness are judged by student performance on state tests. At the same time, many schools face declining enrollments and budget deficits while they serve increasingly diverse students. Amidst these policy and demographic trends, today’s instructional leaders must quickly raise test scores, make curricula more rigorous, and market their schools to compete with surrounding charter and public schools. In other words, curriculum is highly influenced by external politics, policies, curriculum reform trends, and demographic shifts. This chapter is about effective leadership for curriculum or the content of education in the midst of a challenging economic and policy climate.