Forward, Together in FWISD

Challenge

When school leaders in the FWISD reflected on how to best support the diverse needs of its over 73,000 students and provide a pathway to success in school and in life, each department, from pre-K to Grade 12, considered their role in making meaningful change together.

FWISD leadership knew they could improve upon their current pre-K curriculum, which was using a scripted, thematic approach. They wanted a curriculum that honors children’s natural curiosity and support their goals for their district.

Solution

Olayinka Moore-Ojo, the Executive Director of Early Learning, and Dr. Marcey Sorensen, the Chief Academic, spearheaded the effort to select the new curriculum. After evaluating four early childhood curricula, FWISD selected The Creative Curriculum for its ability to deliver everything they needed to transform their program.

	Differentiation for children demonstrating skills at, above, or below widely held expectations for pre-K children
	A culturally and linguistically responsive approach that values the everyday lives of people in a school’s diverse community, especially its multilingual learners and their families
	Implementation support for teachers throughout the adoption process, as well as resources and technology tools that are easy to use and save teachers time

Results

FWISD began its implementation of The Creative Curriculum in the 2021–2022 school year. Educators have already seen how the curriculum has helped them prioritize the growth and learning of each child, strengthened family engagement, provided teachers with meaningful support, deepened community ties, and much more.

Early Impact on Math and Literacy

At the end of the first year, when only 40 out of 80 classrooms were using the curriculum, there was already an increase in phonological awareness. One multilingual teacher noted that, by the end of year one, 80% of the children in her class could count to 30, and 75% could recognize 20 or more letters and sounds.

In the 2022-2023 school year, all 80 classrooms began using The Creative Curriculum, and they are seeing even more significant gains: at mid-year, the 2022-2023 classes have seen a 4-point increase in the percentage of children meeting the benchmark for “On Track” in phonological awareness, for both English and Spanish-speaking children, over the previous year’s classes.

“When we look at our middle of the year data right now, in every subgroup we’re seeing growth, that we’re on target to meet our goal for the end of the year. So what that says to me about The Creative Curriculum is that it’s perfect for all children.”

Dr. Heather Hennessey,
Executive Director of Early Learning

Increasing Equity and Engagement for Children and Families

Clara Williams is seeing something that she hasn’t before in her over 30 years of teaching at FWISD: a noticeable difference in the four-year-olds who started with The Creative Curriculum the year prior. Disruptive behaviors have diminished, and children are engaging in learning experiences they love and can share with their families.

“They’re so engaged with the different things we’re doing that I don’t have to redirect them a lot…I think it’s because they’re doing what they love to do. They love to play and learn.”

Another teacher, Liliana Lopez, notes the importance of having materials that are not just translated but adapted to meet the needs of multilingual learners. The ‘transadapted’ materials help children engage in learning activities that are meaningful to them.

Giving Teachers More Time Back

Teachers no longer have to stay after school to set up for different classroom themes like they did with their previous curriculum. Planning is done in a few simple clicks, and everything they need for daily instruction is at their fingertips in The Cloud.

Making an Impact in the Community

Every family can connect to the studies and share things from their own homes, empowering families and the community to become a part of their children’s learning journey.

While it’s difficult to measure the myriad ways The Creative Curriculum has impacted teachers, children, and families across FWISD, perhaps Clara summed it up best: “I love The Creative Curriculum because it provides the resources teachers need to establish an environment where children can interact, grow, discover, and learn.”