Teacher training lags behind as schools push for curriculum reform

The RAND Corporation has highlighted a gap between teacher preparation programs and the evolving needs of school reform. According to Julia H. Kaufman, a senior policy researcher at RAND, recent data from the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress indicates that public school students have not achieved the expected post-COVID-19 learning recovery. Math scores showed slight improvement for fourth graders but remained unchanged for eighth graders, while reading scores fell to their lowest in decades.

Kaufman emphasizes that how teachers are taught to teach is crucial for improving student learning outcomes. She notes that while state education leaders are pushing for high-quality curriculum materials, colleges and universities responsible for teacher preparation have largely not kept pace. "How teachers are taught to teach—along with what curriculum materials they use with students and how they use those materials—are the most critical factors for improving student learning," she states.

The Council of Chief State School Officers initiated a network in 2017 to promote high-quality instructional materials, which has seen some success. Louisiana and Mississippi, both part of this network, reported gains in NAEP scores since 2017. However, surveys conducted by RAND reveal that only about 10% of U.S. teachers felt their preparation programs emphasized using curriculum materials effectively.

Despite research supporting structured curricula aligned with state standards, many teacher preparation programs continue to focus on lesson development rather than utilizing existing curricula. The National Reading Panel's findings on essential reading components remain underrepresented in many teacher education syllabi.

Kaufman argues against the outdated notion that teachers should develop their own curricula and stresses the importance of equipping future educators with skills to use provided curricula effectively. "States and school districts know that curriculum matters," she concludes, urging teacher preparation programs to align with these priorities.

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