When Supplementing Makes Sense: English Language Arts Teachers' Decisions to Supplement Official Curriculum

• In Event: Curricular Policies From Kindergarten to College

Abstract

Recent education survey data make clear that the vast majority of core subject area teachers in U.S. schools are given access to core curricular materials such as textbooks to use in their instruction. Despite this, individual teachers frequently supplement their district-adopted textbooks with other, unofficial curriculum materials (Authors, 2019). This study investigates the extent to which a nationally-representative sample of English Language Arts teachers supplement their official curriculums, and whether that supplementing differs by contextual factors such as grade taught or racial/ethnic makeup of student body. Findings from this study could spur state policymakers to reform curriculum adoption guidelines and lead to productive future collaborations between researchers and educators.

Authors

• Daniel Silver, University of Southern California

• Morgan S. Polikoff, University of Southern California