In the News: Jocelyn Pickford Featured on CurriculumHQ

By Nicole Brown

The Collaborative for Student Success has launched CurriculumHQ.org, a go-to resource that provides state and district examples and practical resources to improve curriculum quality in K-12 classrooms. This new online platform brings together the latest resources, research and advocacy tools to promote high-quality instructional materials that drive student success and pandemic recovery.

Even before Covid-19, nearly 70% of educators said they didn’t have regular access to high-quality instructional materials and some spent as many as 12 hours a week searching for materials or creating their own. Educators need easy access to materials that are aligned to state standards and have a proven track record of success in improving outcomes, especially for those traditionally under-resourced. CurriculumHQ.org offers a repository of state education agency resources, a baseline of curriculum research, and examples of how states, districts and schools are using strong instruction to drive student growth.

HCM Strategists’ senior affiliate Jocelyn Pickford is providing original commentary for the site as the featured columnist in the CurriculumHQ Blog series “Curriculum A-B-C.” As a former senior federal and state education department policy expert and teacher, current parent and school board member, Jocelyn is uniquely attuned to the need for an increase in state advocacy for quality materials to accelerate learning, particularly with the disruptions brought about by Covid-19.

“It’s an honor to join this important effort by the Collaborative for Student Success to complement existing curriculum work, gather state-by-state resources and guidance and build national and state awareness and advocacy around quality materials,” Jocelyn remarked. “My range of experiences with curriculum as a teacher, parent, school board member and senior policy advisor reinforce the importance of providing equitable access to the best tools and materials to all students. I am proud to feature the good work underway across the country to do just that.”

CurriculumHQ.org launches with a state-level repository of resources and expert commentary for a set of six initial states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, New Hampshire and Ohio. Additional state resources will be populated over time with the intention of becoming a national repository for decision-makers.

About Jocelyn Pickford

Jocelyn Pickford is an education policy and communications specialist focusing on understanding and promoting practitioner-informed public policy across the private, public and non-profit sectors as a senior affiliate with HCM Strategists. She began her career in education as a high school English teacher in a regular and special education inclusion classroom and is now a public school parent and member of her local district school board. Previously, Jocelyn led the design, launch and implementation of the Teaching Ambassador Fellowship at the U.S. Department of Education to integrate teachers into the national education policy dialogue.

Jocelyn’s passion for her work was seeded during her own public school education and took root during her classroom teaching experience in Fairfax County, Virginia, where she led action research and presented instructional materials to a variety of audiences. Jocelyn earned her bachelor’s degree from Trinity College (CT), working as a professional writer and editor prior to becoming a teacher, and obtained her master’s in secondary education from George Washington University. Jocelyn lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and two children.

About the Collaborative for Student Success

The Collaborative for Student Success is a nonprofit advocacy organization that works to defend high standards, high-quality and aligned curriculum and assessments, and strong systems of accountability and transparency to ensure that all kids are prepared for college or career. Through capacity-building efforts with in-state organizations and collaboration with national partners, we promote fact-based public discourse and fight to advance policies and actions that promote best practices and ensure equitable outcomes for all students.