reach higher, together
How trajectory-changing school districts used curriculum as a launchpad to improve outcomes.
What happens after a school district chooses a curriculum, and what it takes to make that choice pay off for kids? Across the U.S., a number of districts are figuring that out. We studied 13 of them—conducting hundreds of interviews with educators, school leaders, district leaders and external partners across all. What we discovered was that while each district is unique in size, demographics, culture, and geography, the pattern of change they followed was strikingly similar. It can be summarized with the acronym REACH. The case studies below showcase what these districts did, how they did it, and what others can learn from them.
CASE STUDY
NYCPS District 14
june 30, 2026
closing gaps through consistency
How New York City’s District 14 improved by focusing on its highest-need kids.
CASE STUDY
ALDINE, TX
may 15, 2026
the long game
How persistence helped Aldine Independent School District build lasting literacy success.
CASE STUDY
charlotte-mecklenburg, nc
may 13, 2026
all in
How Charlotte-Mecklenburg turned a complex school district into a unified engine for student success.
CASE STUDY
charleston, sc
may 1, 2026
built to last
How Charleston County School District prioritized durability over speed to improve student outcomes.
CASE STUDY
PASSAIC, NJ
APR 23, 2026
Forward! Pa’lante!
How Passaic Public Schools boldly aligned its curriculums across English and Spanish to drive student growth.
CASE STUDY
NYCPS D7
APR 15, 2026
BEATING THE ODDS
How consistent, rigorous math instruction led to breakthrough growth in NYC’s District 7.
CASE STUDY
KNOX COUNTY, TN
APR 3, 2026
creating instructional leaders
For Knox County Schools, changing the role of school leaders changed everything.
CASE STUDY
GUILFORD, NC
MAR 12, 2026
the guilford guarantee
How Guilford County Schools is delivering on its promise of quality instruction for all students.
CASE STUDY
RICHMOND, VA
FEB 26, 2026
WHEN LEADERS LISTEN
How Richmond Public Schools accelerated literacy gains by acting on data and teacher insight.
CASE STUDY
NYCPS D11
JAN 25, 2026
FOLLOw the data
How NYC’s District 11 continuously improved its way to better outcomes
CASE STUDY
NYCPS D18
FEB 12, 2026
WHEN ADULTS BELIEVE, STUDENTS RISE
How NYC’s District 18 raised the bar to improve reading outcomes for Black students.
CASE STUDY
NYCPS D25
JAN 25, 2026
ONE VISION, MANY VOICES
How NYC’s District 25 built confidence and collaboration during a district-wide curriculum shift.
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS AND ADVISORS
Adam Ezring, Collaborative for Student Success
Annie Morrison, Rivet Education
Barbara Davidson, Standards Work
Courtney Bell, SCORE
Devon Gadow, TNTP
Dr. Dia Bryant, National Math Improvement Project
Emily Freitag, Instruction Partners
Ethan Mitnick, SchoolKit
HaMy Vu, Teaching Lab
Hillary Rinaldi, Whiteboard Advisors
JanaBeth Francis, Curriculum Matters
Jessica Eadie, Student Achievement Partners
Joanne Weiss, Weiss Associates
Sy Doan, RAND
Jennifer Wilson, Illustrative Mathematics
Jim Cowen, Collaborative for Student Success
Josh Parish, Collaborative for Student Success
Julia Kaufman, RAND
Lydia Hill Geralds, Great Minds
Kunjan Narechania, Watershed
Litsy Witkowski, Rivet Education
Lora Kaiser, The Center for Education Market
Dynamics
Dr. Shanta Lightfoot, EL Education
Stacey Alicea, Research Partnership for Professional Learning
Sarah Johnson, Teaching Lab
These case studies are based on research funded by the Gates Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and Robin Hood Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the funders. We are grateful for the funding and advisory support from each of these organizations.