Use Pre-AP and SpringBoard to Address Unfinished Learning
SpringBoard ELA and Pre-AP courses meet published recommendations from leading organizations, including guidance issued by the United States Department of Education, for how to address lost instructional time.
| Council of the Great City Schools Recommendations | Pre-AP Courses | SpringBoard ELA Curriculum |
|---|---|---|
| Stick to grade-level content and instructional rigor. | Pre-AP resources define and model grade-level–appropriate content and skill expectations. | All green ratings from EdReports recognize the grade-level content and instructional rigor of SpringBoard. |
| Focus on the depth of instruction, rather than the pace. | Focused content and skills provide the time for deeper engagement with content. | The recursive instructional design allows teachers to focus on the depth, rather than pace, of instruction. |
| Prioritize content and learning. | Course frameworks focus on the content and skills that are most impactful for AP, college, and career readiness. | Prioritized curriculum maps emphasize the most critical learning standards and alignment with the Pre-AP frameworks ensure focus on the most impactful content and skills. |
| Maintain the inclusion of each and every learner. | Schools confirm that the course is open to all students. Pre-AP model lessons include practical recommendations for teachers to scaffold and adapt lesson content to address the unique needs of all learners in meeting grade-level expectations. | Instructional pathways help educators build customized plans that deliver the support and practice students need most. SpringBoard has been recognized as a culturally and linguistically relevant curriculum and includes specific workshops in support of multiple learners. |
| Identify and address gaps in learning through instruction, avoiding the misuse of standardized testing. | Resources include many opportunities to understand student progress and strategically adapt instruction. | Integrated assessments for learning encourage teachers to make just-in-time adjustments for student success. |
| Focus on the commonalities that students share in this time of crisis, not just their differences. | Pre-AP and SpringBoard shared instructional principles encourage authentic student collaboration and dialogue, allowing each student to have a voice as an active participant in the learning community. | |
United States Department of Education supports using federal funding to address lost instructional time.
In the ED COVID-19 HANDBOOK: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students’ Needs, the U.S. DOE states, “Initial research shows the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on the achievement of students who were already underserved, including students of color… Accelerating learning provides opportunities for students to learn at grade level rather than through tracking or remediation, which can narrow educational opportunities for students and might lead them to become disengaged.” In-school acceleration guidance encourages “teacher leaders and district instructional leaders to identify critical content (e.g., “priority” or “power” standards) on which to focus. To avoid overwhelming students, focus on the most essential knowledge and skills, particularly the content that is foundational to subsequent grade levels.”
Experts recommend grade-level instruction focused on prioritized content for all students.
Council of the Great City Schools
In collaboration with Student Achievement Partners, Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Vermont Writing Collaborative, the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) published Addressing Unfinished Learning After COVID-19 School Closures, and makes the following recommendations:
“In planning instruction for the coming school years, districts should (1) stick to grade-level content and instructional rigor, and (2) focus on the depth of instruction, rather than the pace. To provide this grade-level instruction, districts will need to help teachers (3) prioritize content and learning. In order to continue to reflect a districts’ instructional vision and commitment to equity, educators will also need to (4) maintain the inclusion of each and every learner and (5) identify and address gaps in learning through instruction, avoiding the misuse of standardized testing to place kids into high or low ability groups or provide low levels of instructional rigor to lower performing students. Finally, districts should consider (6) focusing on the commonalities that students share in this time of crisis, not just on their differences.”
TNTP
TNTP has published the Learning Acceleration Guide: Accelerating Learning in the 2020-21 School Year, which states, “Providing students equitable access to grade-appropriate assignments focused on this year’s priority content is one of the most pressing challenges facing school and system leaders right now.” They also note in The Opportunity Myth, “When students who started the year behind had greater access to grade-appropriate assignments, they closed the outcomes gap with their peers by more than seven months.”