Instructional Coherence in Action: Insights and Opportunities

The Center for Education Market Dynamics • March 26, 2025

How Do Curriculum Choices Shape Students’ Instructional Experiences?

Instructional coherence ensures that students experience a connected and intentional learning experience that likely incorporates both core and supplemental materials, in tandem with curriculum-aligned professional learning. Yet, districts face challenges in selecting and integrating instructional resources in a system that is crowded with materials and tools that aren’t designed with coherence in mind. Understanding how districts navigate these choices is key to improving coherence at scale.

Resources on Instructional Coherence

Explore our latest insights on how districts select and implement instructional materials:

• Unlocking Instructional Coherence Through Curriculum Insights Discover how curriculum choices shape instructional coherence and influence student success. Learn how core and supplemental materials can work together to create aligned learning experiences—and how data can drive stronger, more cohesive instructional systems.
• The Road to Coherence: Ensuring Alignment Between Core and Supplemental Materials Many districts rely on both core and supplemental materials, but misalignment can lead to fragmented learning experiences. Explore new data on instructional materials and learn what steps can improve coherence across an instructional system.
• K–8 Math Materials Spotlight: Understanding the Landscape in Three Charts Explore key insights into how districts choose and implement K–8 math materials. This resource examines the balance between core curricula and supplemental resources, highlighting challenges in creating a coherent instructional approach.
• Two Markets, One Classroom: How Core and Supplemental Materials Shape Student Learning Core and supplemental materials follow different selection processes, often leading to misalignment in the classroom. Discover how districts can bridge the gap between these two markets to create a more coherent and effective instructional system.
• Core and Supplemental Math Materials: Selection Trends Across K–12 Discover how districts select core and supplemental math materials across K–12. This resource highlights trends in vertical coherence, instructional alignment, and the challenges of maintaining consistency across grade levels.
• The Reality of Instructional Coherence: What Data on K-8 Math Choices Tells Us This resource examines common assumptions about instructional coherence in K–8 math and highlights challenges districts face in aligning core and supplemental materials to support student learning.

Supplemental products are a major force shaping instruction and student learning today. As districts work to implement high-quality core math programs, it’s critical to consider how supplemental materials fit into the bigger picture—and their impact on districts’ abilities to implement core curriculum at the Tier 1 level with fidelity.