Roughly half of math and English language arts (ELA) teachers use high-quality curriculum at least once a week, according to a recent RAND report: a marked increase from 31% of math teachers and 15% of ELA teachers in the 2018-19 school year. 

Yet the same report also found that most teachers continue “mixing and matching” instructional materials, often relying on self-created resources or unvetted supplements of highly variable quality. High-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are more available than ever. But their promise isn’t being fully realized in classrooms—and students ultimately bear the cost.

While many leaders feel confident selecting materials, they face significant hurdles turning curriculum choices into classroom success.

To better understand why this disconnect persists, EdReports partnered with The Decision Lab to survey more than 250 district leaders and educators nationwide. The findings, published in our new report, Beyond Selection: Rethinking How Districts Adopt Curriculum, show that while many leaders feel confident selecting materials, they face significant hurdles turning curriculum choices into classroom success.

Key insights from our survey included:

  • Confidence in selection does not ensure classroom success. Nearly three-quarters of district leaders report confidence in choosing HQIM, but only 59% have processes to evaluate effectiveness, and just 60% pilot curricula before adoption.
  • Early gaps in the adoption process drive later problems. Districts report fewer needs for support with foundational tasks like determining needs and setting up processes, yet later cite their biggest struggles in consensus and implementation.
  • Stakeholder engagement remains a challenge. Nearly half of leaders cite stakeholder buy-in as their top challenge, yet only 18% express interest in external support in this area—pointing to the sensitive dynamics of engaging community and educator voices.
  • Districts want targeted support. While just 14% are open to external help in making final decisions, many welcome support with data analysis (55%), curriculum evaluation (41%), and implementation logistics (40%).

4 Ways to Strengthen Curriculum Adoption and Use

Our survey findings reveal clear opportunities for districts to strengthen their approach to curriculum adoption and implementation:

1. Establish Strong Foundations

Districts cite understanding government regulations as a top challenge, reflecting an increasingly complex landscape of mandates and requirements. With 40+ states having passed science of reading laws since 2013 and state influence over curriculum growing, districts must build capacity to navigate this environment.

Map all relevant state, federal, and local requirements before reviewing materials.

Key actions to build this foundation include:

  • Map all relevant state, federal, and local requirements before reviewing materials, using state education department resources—HQIM definitions, approved lists, guidance, frameworks, and alignment tools—to anchor decisions.
  • Evaluate technology compatibility early (another critical challenge highlighted in the survey).
  • Build internal expertise or partnerships to interpret compliance.
  • Align timelines with regulatory deadlines and adoption cycles.
  • Document compliance strategies for future processes.

Rhode Island modeled this approach by defining HQIM clearly and providing districts with guidance and resources. As Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green explained, “We made sure that all curriculum were aligned to our curriculum frameworks, academic standards, and we looked at our assessments to do that kind of work.”

2. Design Comprehensive Adoption Processes

While 72% of districts express confidence in selecting materials, only 60% pilot before adoption, 59% assess curriculum efficacy during implementation, and nearly half struggle with rollout. These gaps highlight the need for more comprehensive planning that connects early decisions to classroom success. 

Begin with a clear instructional vision rooted in local needs.

Districts can strengthen adoption planning by:

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools built its instructional vision with teachers, ensuring priorities reflected classroom realities. In Fife, Washington, leaders spent a year researching, visiting schools, and engaging teachers before selection. Kentucky and Nebraska also supported districts with statewide frameworks and tools, enabling more strategic and consistent adoption.

3. Center Educator Voice

Stakeholder buy-in is districts’ greatest challenge (49%), yet only 18% would seek outside help with consensus-building. Many underestimate the complexity of change management while relying solely on internal efforts.

“It was critical to have the perspective of the people in the schools—because they had expertise that nobody else was going to have.”

Rebecca Kockler, Executive Director, Reading Reimagined and former Assistant Superintendent of Academic Content at the Louisiana Department of Education

To authentically elevate educator and community perspectives, districts should:

Louisiana’s experience underscores the value of educator engagement. As former Assistant Superintendent Rebecca Kockler explained, “We had so many teachers fired up about high-quality curriculum… It was critical to have the perspective of the people in the schools—because they had expertise that nobody else was going to have.”

4. Leverage External Expertise Strategically

Budget pressures make it essential to use external support selectively, focusing on areas that provide the greatest value. Survey data shows districts are most open to help with data interpretation (55%), curriculum evaluation (41%), and implementation (40%). 

Promising approaches for districts include:

  • Consider external support for process design and project management to preserve internal capacity. Districts rank help with stakeholder communication and project management highest.
  • Use independent reviews such as EdReports’ to streamline evaluation work, letting districts focus on applying quality criteria locally.
  • Invest selectively in implementation support—nearly half of districts report challenges here. External coaching and curriculum-based professional learning can accelerate teacher readiness.
  • Prioritize partnerships that build internal capacity rather than dependence. Rhode Island exemplified this with state-led cohorts that equipped districts to run their own selection processes.

Rather than viewing external support as an additional expense, districts would benefit from a strategic investment that can prevent costly implementation failures and maximize the impact of curriculum investments already being made.

From Adoption to Impact

By implementing these strategies, districts can address the root causes of adoption challenges rather than just managing symptoms. Evidence from places like Baltimore City and Rhode Island shows that when foundational work is done well, consensus and implementation become far more manageable. And strategic external partnerships can provide specialized expertise while local teams retain the control and ownership necessary for sustainable success.

High-quality instructional materials are essential, but not sufficient.

High-quality instructional materials are essential, but not sufficient. Districts must strengthen adoption processes to ensure curriculum translates into excellent teaching and learning for every student. For more insights and recommendations, read the full report: Beyond Selection: Rethinking How Districts Adopt Curriculum.