5.3 Securing High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM)

Strong academics start with a firm foundation of high-quality instructional materials. High-impact tutoring programs that use research-based, culturally relevant instructional materials provide tutors with the support needed to implement rigorous, grade-level content. Thoughtful selection of materials builds coherence between tutoring and core instruction and drives academic success. Section 5.3 focuses on research-based curriculum selection, alignment to standards, ensuring material relevance, and connecting curriculum to assessments.

Before You Begin
HQIM Selection
Key RecommendationsCorresponding Resources
  • Build your leadership team’s understanding of the characteristics of high-quality instructional materials.

Reading: Guidance for Selecting and Implementing Early Literacy Instructional Materials

  • Set criteria to ensure materials align with grade-level standards, rigor, foundational skills, and student goals.
  • Align tutoring curriculum with school learning objectives to improve instructional coherence.
Webinar: Aligning Tutoring Curriculum to School Curriculum
  • Select instructional materials that are research-based, culturally responsive, and user-friendly. Consider the tutor training required to effectively use the new materials.

Website: EdReports

Website: Evidence for ESSA

Example: Math Resource Appendix

Example: Tennessee Foundational Skills Early Grades Literacy Supplemental Resources

Example: Saga Education Math Curriculum for Upper Grades 

  • Ensure that assessment tools align with state standards and inform instructional decisions.
Student-Focused Curricula
Key RecommendationsCorresponding Resources
  • Conduct a curriculum audit to assess and improve instructional materials for relevancy.

Website: An Equity Audit: Is it in your future?

Website: Culturally Responsive English Language Arts Curriculum Scorecard

Website: Culturally Responsive-Sustaining STEAM Curriculum Scorecard

  • Prioritize resources that support learning opportunities for all students, regardless of subject area.

Website: Tutor Training Library items on HQIM

Website: 4 Ways to Elevate Cultural Responsiveness in a Materials Adoption

  • Use bias-free materials that emphasize students' strengths and resilience.
HQIM Continuous Improvement
Key RecommendationsCorresponding Resources
  • Use student and tutor feedback to refine both materials and tutoring strategies.
Survey: Tutoring Surveys for Students and Tutors
  • Collect data regularly to assess student progress and tutor effectiveness in literacy and math.

Template: Assessment and Progress Monitoring Plan 

Template: Standard Data Review Protocol (Word Document Available)

  • Track and address implementation challenges.
Reflection Guide: Root-Cause Analysis (Word Document Available)

Planning for the Long Term
  • Establish an instructional team that meets biweekly or monthly to evaluate curricular alignment with classroom instruction.
  • Utilize data consistently to adjust instructional materials, ensuring they support skill and content mastery.
Tutoring Quality Standards and Self-Assessment Indicators

Take the free, 15-minute, and research-based Tutoring Organization Self-Assessment. This subsection addresses these tutoring quality standards and Self-Assessment indicators.

Instruction
High-Quality Instructional Materials		The program uses high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) that are user-friendly, rigorous, and research-based.
3d.1 | Instructional materials that are aligned with state standards and/or the school’s curriculum
3d.2 | Instructional materials that are easily modified without compromising the level of rigor necessary to support the personalized needs of students
3d.3 | Instructional materials that are free from bias and culturally responsive - emphasizing the cultural capital, strengths, and resilience of students from diverse racial, ethnic, and linguistic groups
3d.4 | Instructional materials that are integrated with the program’s assessment strategy and performance measure