Committee hears review of John Hattie research; district aligns curriculum cycle to high‑impact practices
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Summary
Kelly Downs reviewed John Hattie’s Visible Learning synthesis and described how the district is prioritizing high‑impact practices—collective teacher efficacy, PLCs, cognitive task analysis and instructional coaching—in the curriculum cycle to accelerate student learning.
The Curriculum Committee received a presentation linking the district’s curriculum cycle to evidence summarized in John Hattie’s Visible Learning research.
Kelly Downs described Hattie’s synthesis and the concept of a 0.4 "hinge point"—an effect size Hattie associates with roughly one year’s typical growth—and said the district uses high‑impact practices that exceed that threshold. "The greatest influence on student achievement is what teachers do," Downs said while explaining how collective teacher efficacy, cognitive task analysis and instructional coaching show high effects when implemented together.
Downs walked committee members through how those practices are embedded in the district’s curriculum cycle: evaluation of current practice, revision for improvement, implementation with coaching and PD, and ongoing assessment and refinement. She cited PLCs, MLSS structures and instructional coaching as practical levers the district employs to boost the impact of curriculum and instruction.
The presentation was framed as professional‑development context for committee members, equipping them to ask informed questions about future resource proposals and to recognize when an adoption or program aligns with high‑impact practices. Committee members thanked staff for the research‑based framing; no formal action followed.