Leading the Journey

An e‑newsletter on excellence in leadership

October 2026 | Volume 15, No. 3

Curriculum standards

Standards for student learning have been developed in subject areas under the direction of the NADOE. In developing these standards, resources such as the compendiums of current state/provincial standards and subject-area standards developed by professional organizations have been referenced.

Standards identify what a student should know and be able to do. Standards are to be used by the teacher in planning, implementing, and assessing the instructional program. Teachers are responsible to provide instruction that allows for all students to achieve the standards. It is the principal’s responsibility to:

  • Ensure that standards are available to and utilized by the teachers.
  • Provide training for teachers in the use of the standards.
  • Determine that assessment is aligned with the standards.

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This theme falls under “Curriculum Standards” on p. 49 of the Principal’s Handbook.

Purposeful Learning

Denae Yuros Vice Principal, Mile High Academy

I began teaching with a small yet valuable collection of instructional tools that improved with each academic year, and it wasn’t until later in my career, when I encountered the philosophy of Standards Based Learning, that everything I knew about teaching was taken to the next level. Curriculum standards drove my instruction.

There was a sense of freedom that came from relying on standards. My creativity thrived as I intentionally planned units to provide purposeful learning opportunities for my students. I used more effective instructional methods to meet levels of learning. New questions abounded.

How can my students effect change in the world through this lesson?

What different methods could be used to teach this tricky concept?

I used targeted assessments to diagnose each student’s application of knowledge. These assessments pinpointed the areas on which I needed to spend more or less time with each student.

Busy work decreased, and students had the chance to extend their learning. As a result, grading took less time and more time was given to provide authentic feedback. I was after proof of learning . Students received feedback immediately, and we focused less on grades and scores. The students tracked their own growth and identified areas for continued improvement. They began to know what they knew! Was each class period a massive success? No, and some lessons flopped completely, so I gave those another go. Could every student tell me their learning target? Of course not, but they were more aware of what they were learning.

What I saw take place in the classroom was increased ownership and pride over learning. I watched students become empowered learners and care about their peers’ learning as well. The learning environment changed from that small yet valuable collection of instructional tools to a strong standards based classroom.

dyuros@milehighacademy.org

When Students Ask for More: How Standards Guide Purposeful Practice

By Bernelle Rivera

High School Teacher at San Gabriel Academy

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine students asking for more work. Yet after switching to standards-based learning (SBL), I began seeing students request additional practice to address gaps in their understanding.

Before adopting SBL, I knew educational standards mattered, but I struggled to connect them to daily instruction. I followed the textbook’s sequence without clearly understanding how its lessons would help students meet those expectations. Training in SBL helped me see standards as the foundation for curriculum, assessment, and instructional decisions.

In my science classes, I use the Next Generation Science Standards to guide curriculum development. True to my training, I bundle related standards into units and unpack prioritized standards into learning targets. These targets guide assessments and instruction, while proficiency scales clarify what students need to demonstrate.

Alongside these changes, I intentionally emphasized the language of practice. I described classroom work as opportunities to develop understanding, use feedback, and try again. This emphasis helped students see additional practice as a resource they could request to move toward their learning goals.

For example, in a unit built around HS-PS1-1, students use the periodic table to predict properties of elements based on patterns in their outermost electrons. After reviewing feedback on a practice quiz, one student identified a gap in predicting bonding patterns and requested another practice test. They used the answer key to check their reasoning and revisit mistakes. Another student rewatched a YouTube explanation of electronegativity trends before attempting additional questions. 

Both students worked toward the same standard, but their next steps addressed different needs. Clear targets helped them identify what to learn, and our emphasis on practice encouraged them to act.

Standards provide shared direction for our educational program. Pairing those expectations with feedback and purposeful practice helps students take greater ownership of their learning—including knowing when to ask for more.

brivera@sangabrielacademy.org

From Standards to Learning: Creating Clarity Through Proficiency Scales

Brian Harris NPUC Director for Secondary Education

Instructional leadership is one of a principal’s most important responsibilities. While it may feel intimidating, it begins with serving as the “lead learner”, modeling curiosity and a growth mindset for the team. At its heart, this work helps move curriculum standards beyond reference documents and turn them into clear expectations that guide teaching and learning.

The North American Division’s Standards-based Learning (SBL) initiative provides an important tool for accomplishing this through the NAD proficiency scales. At the heart of each scale is the 3.0 level, which represents the NAD standards, the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate. Proficiency scales make these standards more actionable by providing greater clarity around what students should know and be able to do.

For principals, this creates an opportunity to center instructional leadership around three essential questions:

Are we clear about what students are expected to learn?

Is instruction intentionally aligned with those expectations?

Are our assessments providing evidence that students have learned it?

These questions align directly with the Principal’s Handbook expectation that principals ensure standards are utilized, provide teachers with training in their use, and determine that assessments are aligned with those standards.

When the standard becomes our shared destination, teachers have greater clarity about where they are taking students, students better understand what they are expected to learn, and principals have a clearer lens for leading instructional improvement.

Clear standards create clear destinations, and clear destinations help us lead learning with greater purpose. This all creates fuel for our journey to excellence!

brian.harris@nw.npuc.org