Changes in curriculum slated to affect student learning
San Jacinto Newstimes , October 2007

SHEPHERD – Shepherd Independent School District implemented a major change in its curriculum to improve student learning on all campuses.  For many years Shepherd ISD attempted to move its schools to the “Exemplary” status and it made small gains along the way each year. However, the state standards continued to rise and small gains were not getting the district to the Exemplary goal it wanted for its students. Administrators reviewed all programs, looked at new placements of strong teacher teams, and analyzed TAKS data and the curriculum being used in the classroom. The review of the curriculum used in the classrooms found areas which needed to be strengthened so that goals for improvement could be met.
Shepherd ISD has joined the Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative. Through this partnership the CSCOPE Curriculum was introduced last year for teachers to view and select lessons to use. This year is the first year of full curriculum implementation of the CSCOPE Curriculum. The CSCOPE Curriculum Collaborative sets the standards for its member districts with more rigorous lessons, while using research based teaching strategies for increased student understanding. CSCOPE is written specifically for Texas school districts and therefore is compatible with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills that are tested on the TAKS Test.
The rigor in this new curriculum is very different for the students and teachers.  There is more required from both parties to reach the higher learning levels required by the TEKS and TAKS. Lessons and homework are more hands-on and lessons require higher level thinking and performance. An abundance of materials are required to implement lessons and this has increased the time teachers must devote to securing and preparing their lessons.  Thus a time for transition is expected in the implementation. Some students’ grades may be lower than prior years until the students learn the process being taught and the student expectations are met.
This curriculum is aligned tightly with the grade levels above and below so that teachers can view what a student has already had or what is coming the next year. This allows teachers a stronger way to assist students either in remediation or in “getting them ready” for the next grade level.
The Texas Education Agency is moving toward a state curriculum and has advised schools to look at joining a curriculum collaborative for improved student learning. There are twenty educational service center regions in the state of Texas. Ten of the twenty service centers are members of this cooperative. This means fifty percent of the state region centers are using this curriculum and they serve hundreds of Texas schools.  Shepherd ISD has always looked to the future needs of its students and it feels this is a tremendous step in that direction.