Key Features

SEC:

• Common content matrix allows comparison of instruction ("enacted curriculum") with standards and assessments, and alignment analysis of standards with assessments and curriculum materials.
• Flexible model for comparisons of alignment between states, and states to national assessments and standards, as well as state to local.
• Measures of alignment are highly predictive of student achievement scores; and alignment results can assist schools and teachers in improvement of instructional strategies and focus of curriculum.
• Modest investment in assessment and standards review plus additional modest investment offers option of reliable, comparable data on instruction from a range of schools.

Webb:

• Qualitative ratings produce quantified data; analysis provides multiple statistics and rating of each standard by grade, or alignment "profile."
• Low inference judgments required by reviewers on depth of knowledge and match of assessments to standards.
• Independent coding by reviewers.
• Statistical procedures for measuring inter-rater reliability, and variation in alignment statistics.
• Modest investment and comparatively short completion time.

Achieve:

• In-depth review and analysis of standards and assessments across multiple criteria.
• High inference judgments needed by reviewers.
• Achieve provides extensive secure technical reports; states also may opt for summary reports of findings suitable for sharing with stakeholders, often accompanied by presentation and debriefing session.
• Professional Development, Standards Benchmarking, Augmentation Analysis and Policy Audits are four additional services available to states.
• Completion time and cost depend on the options selected and are negotiated with states.

Time/Effort Required

SEC: One-half day to train reviewers; one day per team for coding items or benchmarks to matrix (multiple grades); one hour per teacher for survey of instruction; one week for alignment analysis and report development using web-based data and reporting system.

Webb: One-half day to train reviewers; one day per team for matching items and benchmarks and rating depth of knowledge (multiple grades); one month data analysis and production of tables/report.

Achieve: Achieve draws from a pool of seasoned reviewers so training needed to establish a common basis for reviews is minimal; alignment reviews typically require one day/test; time required for report writing depends on the services states select and is negotiated with states.

Reference Point for Comparison

SEC: Extent of alignment among content of instruction, assessments, and content standards are directly comparable across states, districts or schools due to use of common content matrix. Model unique among four on this criterion.

Webb: A state's standards are compared to same state's assessment; some reference to national standards for panel judgments; statistical measures used provide some comparison.

Achieve: State standards compared to same state's assessment; no cross-state or external analysis.

NCREL Curriculum Mapping

Using the Curriculum Mapping Website developed by North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL), educators can analyze curriculum, textbooks, materials, and standards in relation to the international mathematics and science frameworks developed for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 1995.

Results from the TIMSS, the most extensive study of international achievement to date, provided overwhelming evidence that U.S. mathematics and science curricula contain too many topics, taught at too shallow a level, and retained too long. Unfortunately, district and school administrators lack user-friendly, inexpensive, evidence-based methods to make informed decisions about curriculum and practice.

NCREL responded by developing, in a partnership with the U.S. TIMSS Center at Michigan State University led by William Schmidt, an interactive Web site that assists schools and districts in their efforts to reform mathematics and science curricula. In its continuing effort to develop accessible data-driven decision-making tools, NCREL has scaled up a TIMSS curriculum survey to allow for online curriculum mapping and analysis. Users can diagnose their curricula's breadth and depth, flow and sequence, articulation, and rigor. In addition, users can comparie their curriculum materials with the mathematics and science curriculum maps from top-achieving nations.

The TIMSS curriculum frameworks, which provide the basis for this curriculum mapping tool, were originally developed for the Survey of Mathematics and Science Opportunities (SMSO) Research Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation. This four-year project brought together researchers and experts from six nations to design a consistent framework and set of instruments to measure and map mathematics and science curricula. One of its outcomes was the Generalized Topic Trace Mapping (GTTM) tool used in TIMSS research. Curriculum analyses were completed in over 40 countries as part of TIMSS. The tool has also been applied to analyze state standards and curriculum materials.

For further information on the NCREL Curriculum Mapping, please link to the website, http://currmap.ncrel.org/about.htm.