Chapter 12: When Things Go Wrong in Curriculum Implementation

The stories presented in the preceding chapters have aptly portrayed the ups and downs of curriculum implementation. In the end, they are all stories of success. But in reality, the implementation of NSF-funded curriculum materials is not always successful, and there is much to be learned from those experiences.

In this chapter, we present the stories of four districts, each representing a distinct image of the implementation process as we have seen it play out in a variety of settings. Although readers might believe they “recognize” one of the districts we portray, we must emphasize that the four narratives are hypothetical cases. They are composites drawn from the experiences of the curriculum developers and patterned after data collected from a series of case studies we conducted over a four-year period to learn more about the implementation process. Our research and experience indicates that there are identifiable factors that can support curriculum implementation, or in their absence, can impede the implementation process. Four broad factors we have identified are: (a) a plan for implementation of the materials; (b) ongoing professional development aimed at the changing needs of teachers; (c) district- and building-level leadership and support; and (d) curriculum alignment with state policies and tests. We present the following stories as examples of what can go wrong during curriculum implementation and to illustrate how the implementation process can be derailed through no fault of the curriculum itself.