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"We're looking for high-quality curricular materials aligned to Massachusetts standards. Do you have any advice?"
It's an important question, and one we hear frequently. The CURATE project is the Department's response. We convene panels of Massachusetts teachers to review and rate evidence of alignment and quality of comprehensive core curricular materials, then publish their findings in user-friendly reports for educators across the Commonwealth to consult and make informed, local decisions about curricula.
Core materials are comprehensive print or digital instructional resources designed to serve as the standalone primary materials for Tier 1 instruction. They provide a coherent and sequenced progression of learning aligned to all or a majority of the Massachusetts content standards and practices, enabling all students to achieve grade-level expectations, as defined by the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks, while supporting their diverse learning needs.
High-quality curricular materials exhibit a coherent sequence of lessons that target learning of grade-appropriate knowledge and skills, as defined by the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks, through instructional practices and strategies that are well supported by research and other characteristics, such as rigorous, engaging content and inclusive design.
For the purposes of public reporting and analyses, known and externally reviewed products are currently considered "high quality" if they meet one or more of the following criteria:
Current CURATE report rating of Meets Expectations in all criteria of Standards Alignment and minimally Partially Meets Expectations in all criteria of Classroom Application
Curricular materials with a current CURATE report published before school year 2024-25 (SY25) with an "overall" CURATE rating of Meets Expectations or Partially Meets Expectations are considered "high quality" unless a newer CURATE report is available.
Archived CURATE reports are not considered "current" but are still available to be viewed.
Current materials developed and designed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (e.g., Investigating History, Appleseeds: Evidence-Based Foundational Skills for Massachusetts)
For non-CURATE-reviewed or DESE curricular products, an EdReports rating of Meets Expectations for Standards Alignment ("Green" for both Gateway 1 and Gateway 2) is considered high quality.
If a product has a report from both CURATE and EdReports, the CURATE report takes precedence: CURATE reviews are based upon alignment to Massachusetts-specific college, career, and civic-ready standards.
For curricula that have no CURATE or EdReports review (e.g., district developed or newly released), the quality is unknown.
High-quality instructional materials in ELA/literacy grades K–5 can be realized in these ways:
A single, comprehensive core curriculum Meets Expectations in all criteria of Standards Alignment: Text Quality & Organization, Classroom Tasks & Instruction, and Foundational Skills.
A single, comprehensive core curriculum Meets Expectations in Standards Alignment for Text Quality & Organization and Classroom Tasks & Instruction but Partially Meets or Does Not Meet Expectations for Foundational Skills is replaced with a strong foundational skills resource, creating a high-quality package.
A comprehensive core curriculum Meets Expectations in Standards Alignment for Text Quality & Organization and Classroom Tasks & Instruction and does not include Foundational Skills, paired with a strong foundational skills resource. Together, this high-quality package will address all components of the core literacy block.
Districts in the process of evaluating and selecting materials for a new adoption should prioritize standards-aligned products with more current reviews.
In addition to CURATE reports, DESE offers other curriculum resources, like curriculum guides. These guides provide information on core and supplemental materials for subjects beyond ELA/literacy, mathematics, and science. They empower Massachusetts schools and districts to make informed decisions about curricular products, to support their implementation of Massachusetts' teaching and learning expectations set by the content curriculum frameworks.
For certain competitive grant prerequisites or approved fund use, we may hold a stricter standard for materials that would be available for purchase using grant funds.
The Massachusetts legislature is currently considering a bill that would require all schools to use a curriculum for K–3 literacy that is rated "high quality" by DESE. While this webpage provides DESE's current definition of "high quality," the definition may be updated in line with any bill that is signed into law, as necessary.
Current Reports
Archived Reports
Reviews and Related Information
Master Agreement
Rubrics and Other CURATE Resources
Fellowship
The CURATE Process
Additional Curriculum Review Resources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Research
For questions, email DESE-CURATE@mass.gov
Last Updated: December 26, 2025