When the Federal Way Public Schools Board of Directors selected me as superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools, I was charged with improving student achievement for all scholars and making the school district’s systems and processes more effective and efficient. Over my 20-year career in education, a hallmark of my approach to strategy implementation is the inclusion of stakeholder voice.
For example, during my first 100 days on the job, I toured schools and met with principals and teachers at every site. I also met with over 300 families and 610 staff members. Through these conversations, I learned the No. 1 priority from teachers and support staff is the need for aligned common curriculum to ensure consistency and rigor in our classes for all scholars. In addition, I heard from over 2,500 voices through our Strategic Plan Initiative to inform our goals, including Goal 4, Content Area Competence: Mastery of All Subjects.
An important expectation I have as superintendent is to use data, research, teacher voice and a consistent process in all content areas when adopting new curriculum.
The school district uses multiple data sources when reviewing our student-achievement reading data. It’s clear that more than half of our scholars are not reading at grade level when they enter ninth grade. Our work in preparing scholars for college, career and life is bigger than any single assessment. However, the state assessment does provide information about the level of skill and knowledge our scholars possess as they progress throughout their schooling.
Updated and aligned curriculum will provide the rigor our scholars need to access any pathway they choose to pursue. It is important to note that the curriculum we are adopting is not prescribed curriculum, but is common curriculum. This is so teachers can collaborate, scholars can move school to school without disruption in their learning, and new and veteran teachers won’t have to constantly create new curriculum on their own. Instead, teachers will be able to focus on inspiring scholars with engaging and effective instruction.
Over the past 20 years, Federal Way Public Schools has not formally adopted English Language Arts instructional materials for high schools. Surrounding high-performing districts have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, common curriculum. As a result of this, and based upon my conversations with staff, I quickly moved to get high-quality curriculum materials in the hands of teachers. In 2016, we convened teachers to gather input on common curriculum for English Language Arts in our K–8 schools, and we had 100 percent approval on materials now currently used in our K–8 classrooms.
In the fall of 2016, we convened a high school English Language Arts adoption committee, 70 percent of which are teachers. The committee recommended two English Language Arts curriculum resources to pilot in high school classrooms across the district, and they will make a final recommendation for a common English Language Arts high school curriculum. Recognizing the importance of integrating high-quality literature, we are including novels within literacy instruction, and they will be integrated in the final English Language Arts curriculum recommendation.
At its core, our most important work is ensuring each of our scholars has the skills and knowledge to realize their dreams.
Dr. Tammy Campbell is the superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools.
