About HQIM Academy
Curriculum development is more than just writing lessons. Creating HQIM for schools requires expertise in instructional design, accessibility, pedagogy, literacy, edtech, and more. We have a collective responsibility to design resources that are research-backed, usable, and enjoyable for students and teachers.
HQIM Academy is Raising the Bar
HQIM Academy provides professional learning in the field of curriculum development and is accessible to early career professionals as well as seasoned curriculum developers, managers, and instructional designers. Designing K-12 curriculum is a specialized field that lies at the intersection of education, instructional design, project management, subject matter expertise, and writing.
There are few comprehensive resources available that exist on K-12 curriculum development. Those that exist are outdated and don't include current issues in education such as cultural responsiveness, AI, edtech, and HQIM.
Even though schools spend over $40.2 billion on instructional supplies and services, the variability in instructional materials and those creating them is vast.
HQIM Academy is Committed to Educational Equity
HQIM Academy aims to promote equity by opening doors for educators and developers of all backgrounds to succeed in the field of curriculum and edtech development.
Many K-12 curriculum development positions require candidates to have advanced degrees in education and/or their subject area, classroom teaching experience, and/or prior curriculum development experience. This lengthy list of qualifications tends to favor white, middle-class applicants and does not necessarily guarantee that candidates possess the broad expertise needed to reach all students through HQIM.
HQIM Academy aims to bridge the gap for curriculum developers of nontraditional professional backgrounds as well as diverse identities to enter and succeed in the profession.
In addition to supporting diverse educators to develop transformative curriculum, HQIM Academy also recognizes that many curriculum developers seek to learn and grow over time in their field. Traditionally, curriculum developers and instructional designers can learn from conferences in their subject area or research conferences, but few professional development opportunities exist for professionals to improve their craft over time.
Even highly-skilled developers may wish to round out their skill sets or grow in areas that enable them to advance into management or director-level roles. HQIM Academy offers a range of courses designed to help curriculum developers become well-rounded in their abilities and expertise. Some of these areas include:
- Digital curriculum design;
- Curriculum project management;
- Leveraging Artificial Intelligence;
- Subject-specific curriculum frameworks;
- and more.
What are HQIM?
High Quality Instructional Materials
"HQIM" stands for High-Quality Instructional Materials. These are educational resources, such as curricula, textbooks, and lesson plans that are: aligned to academic standards (like Common Core or NGSS), evidence-based, grounded in research about how students learn, rigorous, encouraging critical thinking and deeper understanding, and equitable, supporting all learners, including those with diverse needs.
Why are HQIM Important?
Schools need resources that promote equity and student success.
In 2021, just 51% of English Language Arts materials and 44% of math materials met standards-alignment expectations (Thomas Fordham Institute). Schools need resources that promote equity and student success. Using HQIM improve student outcomes and achievement on standardized assessment. Using HQIM supports teachers by reducing the burden of planning and ensure consistent instruction. HQIM enable all students get access to high-quality learning experiences.
How are HQIM Developed?
Better student outcomes begin with high-quality resources.
HQIM Academy offers professional learning, customized project consulting, and other resources dedicated to improving the caliber of instructional materials that reach students and teachers. HQIM resources are appropriate for developers of core curriculum, supplemental curriculum, and edtech/ digitial learning experiences. Courses and resources are customized to meet the needs of professional curriculum developers as well as teacher-designers.
Professional Learning That Counts
HQIM Academy offers asynchronous courses, professional learning resources, and consulting services related to curriculum development work. Participants in all online courses have the option to earn graduate credits through Teachers College of San Joaquin.
