School reform requires leadership that is willing to abandon practices that are ineffective and do not lead to improved student achievement and performance. Dayton Public Schools is transforming.  Our reform process has been undertaken with the understanding that school district transformation requires time, a sense of urgency, a plan, the acceptance of change and the ability to sustain results over time.

The reform agenda crafted by the board of education, superintendent, and leadership team is predicated on eight strategic initiatives that include: literacy and mathematics, professional development, student behavior, accountability, equity, parental involvement, civic capacity, and organizational design and development.  These initiatives provide a framework for change and are central to school district transformation and improved student achievement. The Dayton Public Schools Department of Curriculum and Instruction is charged with the responsibility of implementing an educational plan that fulfills the district’s mission, “to guarantee a quality education for every student, every day.”

The heart of any school district is the delivery of instruction and the implementation of a standards-based, research-driven curriculum. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction implements, monitors and supports all instructional and professional development initiatives designed to improve the academic performance, achievement and psychosocial functioning of our diverse student population in grades PreK-12.

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction is comprised of the following offices:

• The Office of Humanities
• The Office of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S.T.E.M.)
• The Office of Assessment, Accountability and Research
• The Office of Secondary Education and Employee Development (S.E.E.D.)
• The Office of Elementary Education
• The Office of School Improvement and External Resources

The staff in these offices ensures that students, teachers and parents have the tools, materials, and opportunities for engagement to provide high quality educational opportunities so that our students are ready for the demands of the 21st century.

We have laid a foundation for incremental improvement in student achievement by aligning curriculum to state standards, providing professional development to all staff members, implementing Baldrige principles to ensure accountability across the system, and providing a variety of learning options for students in grades PreK-12.  The district has taken bold steps to redesign schools, implement single sex programs, develop its Montessori program, implement the International Baccalaureate program, build a state-of-the-art career and technical high school, expand its academic magnet academy in one of our new high schools and support an arts high school that is second to none in the country.

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction supports schools with the use of data, managed instruction, and school-by-school goal setting.  Take the time to find out more about how the department supports schools and works to improve student achievement in Dayton.