The Skyline Implementation Framework represents best practices for how school teams might approach implementation of the Skyline curriculum in ways that harness the coherence between curriculum implementation and other district initiatives. It is not a prescription for how teams must organize their work. School teams might use this framework to self-assess within the context of their CIWP priorities which practices are already in place and which practices could be strengthened. The embedded resources are designed to support teams in strengthening the practices that will lead to successful curriculum implementation, and will be most effective when used in conjunction with collaborative Learning Cycles where teachers LEARN & PLAN, DO, STUDY, SHARE & ACT inside a focused cycle that centers a measurable, observable, “bite-size” practice shift.

“Curriculum is not the goal; it is a means towards our shared Instructional Core Vision.” While the realization of the Instructional Core Vision is dependent on the interplay between STUDENTS, TEACHERS, and CONTENT, the content domain provides particularly valuable insight into how we can use curricular resources to advance our vision. 

• High-Quality Content is Central to the CPS Instructional Core Vision
  • “CONTENT is challenging (grade level appropriate and standards-aligned), meaningful, and responsive to the communities and identities of students. It is designed to allow for in-depth understanding and disciplined inquiry, providing access to multiple perspectives so that students can critique or construct. It is connected to authentic assessments that measure what is truly important in student learning. Designed to be accessible to all students, content is inclusive and reflective of students’ cultural and linguistic diversity, marrying academic content with social emotional skills. Students and communities contribute to content, and their own funds of knowledge, expertise, and lived experiences are leveraged across subject areas. The content serves as a bridge to build meaningful and productive relationships between students and the teacher and the larger community, by possessing value beyond school.”
• Research Says That High-Quality Materials Can Have a Profound Impact on Student Achievement
  • “Using better instructional materials boosts student outcomes just as much as having a better teacher at the front of the room.” (The Elements, 2020)
  • “When teachers participated in curriculum-based professional learning, their students’ test scores improved by 9 percent of a standard deviation — about the same effect caused by replacing an average teacher with a top performer or reducing class size by 15 percent.” (The Elements, 2020)

The Skyline Implementation Framework provides key actions, resources, and structures for school teams to plan around as they implement the Skyline curriculum. The framework attends to the tier 1 components of the CPS Instructional Core focus areas: Curriculum, Assessment, Instruction, Acceleration Practices. These components are organized into the framework of the Instruction Partners PL Toolkit.

The framework is modeled off the Instruction Partners PL Toolkit, which represents strong school-based PL structures aligned to the Instruction Partners Curriculum Support Guide. The practices and resources were curated by a cross-functional team inside of Teaching & Learning to support schools with seeing the coherence between district priorities, school-level CIWP priorities, and Skyline curriculum implementation.