Currently, we have a very inefficient system for curriculum development in Iowa schools. Every teacher is regularly required to duplicate the efforts of every other teacher in the time-consuming task of curriculum development. Thankfully, Iowa has already taken many of the steps needed to rectify this problem – see below.
The result of this duplication of efforts is a patchwork of different curricula, some good, some not so good. Some adhere to standards, some that drift toward ideological messaging. We have clear evidence that this system is failing our students: State proficiency scores for a number of schools are on a downward slide. And young people in America today are increasingly unaware of American History, becoming increasingly enamored of socialism.
There are many examples of ideological capture. Recently, teachers in the Ames school district were forced to engage in extensive “equity audits” that imposed time-consuming, unproven curricular solutions to undefined problems. Teachers who graduate from Iowa State University are taught by professors like Jeanne Dyches, who authored “Acts of Resistance: Subversive Teaching in the English Language Arts Classroom”. Classes that foment discord among the students like “Social Justice” or “Resistance Movements” which have been part of the Ames High School course offerings, are disguised as literature classes and allow teachers to impose their ideologies on students during their most formative years.
Teaching quality is not equal across the state. A statewide framework will ensure all students are provided the very best content regardless of where they go to school, and will facilitate the more rapid expansion of high-quality charter schools. A centralized source of top-quality content will ensure students have easy access to the best educational material, regardless of the resources available in their school or public library.
The shortcomings inherent in our current system provide for exciting, game-changing possibilities.
Iowa received an $18 million grant in 2022 that funded the development of a complete, high-quality, standards-based K-12 curriculum. This is currently available as Iowa E-Learning Central. This is currently an underutilized resource that could be quickly and efficiently put in place to serve all Iowa’s students within an approved curricular framework.
Combining this existing resource with AI tools that would allow the Dept of Ed to monitor and receive instant feedback on student engagement and student success would be a nation leading innovation that would redefine how State’s deliver on the academic promise. Combining existing curricula with AI tools developed by the State would mean tests and quizzes would be infinitely adaptable to student needs, and the results graded automatically and made immediately available to the State Department of Ed.
Schools and teachers that excelled could be immediately recognized, rewarded and learned from. Students could have curricula responsive to their strengths and weaknesses. Education in Iowa would become a process of continual improvement with real time feedback collected and distributed back to the schools so everyone could learn from the best of the best.
These are exciting times in academia at every level. Too many incredible opportunities await those bold enough to act!
Joe Monahan
Ames
