The ESA staff is continuously conversing with administrators and teachers from the districts in Region 3 ESA. Professional development activities are planned around the goals and plans of the districts.

Is there a cost for professional development?

Many of the activities are funded by grants that have been awarded to the ESA. If there is an opportunity for graduate credit, the individual teacher will be responsible for the cost.

Is our school district in Region 3 ESA?

For the complete list of Region 3 ESA Schools click here

How can a district request assistance with school improvement or professional development?

An administrator or teacher may contact Mid-Central Educational Cooperative and ask to speak to ESA staff to discuss requests. Depending on the number of requests, we will try to accommodate your workshop needs.

What is curriculum mapping?

Curriculum mapping is a procedure for collecting data about the curriculum in a school district. Data are gathered in a format that allows each teacher to present an overview of his or her students' actual learning experiences. Mapping is not what ought to happen but what is happening during the course of a school year. Data offer an overview perspective rather than a daily classroom perspective.

Why do curriculum mapping?

Realistic information about the curriculum that learners encounter is essential for decision making. Curriculum mapping is an extremely useful tool for creating a "big picture" for curriculum decision making. Among buildings, there can be large gaps in communication. Integration of curriculum is about vertical planning as well as horizontal planning. Without a context for looking at students' experiences over time, we can make isolated decisions. Curriculum mapping addresses these challenges.

How can curriculum mapping benefit a school district?

The value of mapping is that educators at a site can edit, review, validate, and develop curriculum and assessment with confidence and in context. With a K-12 overview of what is actually going on in classrooms, individual teachers can build on previous years with authenticity and better prepare students for the future. Teachers in a grade-level can plan more easily and coordinate units of study and activities. Departments can make more better decisions because they have more information about what is going on not only within the building but among buildings. A district can match its current assessments with all levels of standards. It is virtually impossible for any one person or committee to stay on top of the curriculum. Mapping provides a direct, honest, and accessible tool to help all parties in the district carry out that task.

What is shown on the map?

A brief description of the content (whether it is student centered, interdisciplinary, or discipline based); a description of the processes and skills emphasized; the nature of the assessment the student produces as evidence of growth; and which standards are being addressed. The time when it is taught is also addressed. The point is not to teach to the months, but to use the months as a common reference to plot the classroom curriculum.

Do maps make the curriculum standard and rigid?

No, rigidity occurs when communication is weak and revision is cumbersome. Mapping promotes a living curriculum because it deals with real time. The possibility for changing and upgrading the curriculum is increased when a map is entered on a computer. Mapping promotes informed autonomy.