The goal of the work of the Office of Instruction is to improve student performance and help every student meet or exceed grade expectations.  The standards or grade expectations identify the knowledge and skills that students need to know and be able to do at certain grade levels or across grade spans.  Standards/expectations, instruction, and assessment intertwine to provide a system that supports and encourages student progress.

Standards-based classrooms are those where students and adults know what concepts and skills will be addressed and engage students in opportunities that enable them to learn the identified concepts and skills.  Teachers need to use a variety of instructional practices that provide opportunities for students to learn knowledge and skills.  This learning can be among adults and students, among students, or among students and their experiences.  It is imperative that educators engage in appropriate professional development that will enable them to be effective teachers.

While the state assessment program is closely aligned with the grade level and grade span expectations, schools and school districts need local assessments to assess student progress in the classroom.  These local assessments are aligned with state and local expectations and give students, educators, and families a look at student performance on a continuous basis.  Together state and local assessments give a comprehensive picture of student growth and performance.

The Rhode Island Department of Education’s efforts in addressing the alignment of standards, instruction, and assessments are demonstrated through the development of the Rhode Island Statewide Curriculum (RISWC).  The RISWC is a dynamic and evolving web-based tool that has the capacity to inform, improve, and energize the state’s educational system.  It serves as an organizer for partners to work together in supporting teaching, learning, and the achievement of high expectations for every student.  The RISWC also identifies resources to guide partners to be effective contributors to student learning.