Rivet Education has received a grant to increase educators’ access to curriculum-based professional learning from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The investment will enhance district leaders’ knowledge of curriculum-based professional learning and increase access to professional learning providers with proven expertise in high-quality instructional materials.
More specifically, the grant will:
- Introduce powerful upgrades to Rivet’s Professional Learning Partner Guide, the only resource that evaluates professional learning providers offering high-quality, curriculum-based services.
- Build a widespread understanding of the definition of curriculum-based professional learning, its role in the curriculum implementation journey, and how the Professional Learning Partner Guide supports state and district decision-making.
- Accelerate curriculum-based professional learning uptake in states with a demonstrated commitment to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) implementation.
“This grant is an exciting step forward in our mission to equip educators with the support they need to implement curriculum-based professional learning effectively,” said Joslyn Richardson, Rivet Education’s Professional Learning Partner Guide Manager. “We’re looking forward to amplifying the reach and impact of our guide to help district leaders choose partners that directly contribute to student success.”
Professional Learning Partner Guide Upgrades
The grant funds user-driven upgrades to increase the Professional Learning Partner Guide’s relevance with state and district leaders. Enhancements include:
- Allowing districts to “match” with providers based on their professional learning needs
- The addition of multilingual learners and students with disabilities badges signaling providers with specific expertise in supporting these students that will be developed in partnership with the English Learners Success Forum and SPED Strategies.
- Filters for specific expertise (e.g., coaching, collaborative planning, multilingual learner support and special education support)
- Increased ability to compare providers and their services directly
Planned AI-driven enhancements will streamline the tool’s review process, expanding the ability to efficiently and accurately review providers’ services in a timely manner, ensuring that school leaders have access to information on a broad range of curriculum-based professional learning-certified providers.
Building Understanding and Demand for Curriculum-Based Professional Learning
Leveraging market research from EdSolutions and Cambiar Education, Rivet will pursue several opportunities to a) build education leaders’ understanding of the definition of curriculum-based professional learning, and b) expand awareness of the Professional Learning Partner Guide and the role it plays in supporting informed decision making.
Additionally, Rivet will continue its partnerships with organizations such as the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), EdReports, The Center for Education Market Dynamics, Learning Forward, and the National Implementation Research Network to shape a future in which district leaders are equipped to provide and make informed curriculum-based professional learning decisions.
Accelerate Curriculum-Based Professional Learning Uptake to Support HQIM Implementation
While the grant will fund efforts to improve access to curriculum-based professional learning nationally, it will also focus on high-priority states where existing efforts to invest in high-quality instructional materials create fertile ground for scaling it broadly. Efforts will include state-specific guides that reflect state adoption lists as well as state-specific marketing building efforts.
For more information on Rivet Education and the PLPG, please visit riveteducation.org
About the Professional Learning Partner Guide
The Professional Learning Partner Guide is a searchable guide that states and school systems can use to find an external vendor that provides curriculum-based professional learning on high-quality instructional materials.
Research shows that educators benefit significantly from training grounded in specific curricular content, yet there’s a lack of understanding of (and capacity to provide) curriculum-based professional learning to teachers and school leaders. Schools and districts can use the guide to find trusted partners who will bolster their local capacity and support the successful implementation of high-quality instructional materials.
Applicants undergo a rigorous, three-step application process evaluating their content and/or high-quality instructional materials expertise, professional learning and training materials, and ongoing processes to improve their services. Professional learning providers that meet these criteria are profiled in the Professional Learning Partner Guide.
