Using a dedicated curriculum provider offers distinct advantages for instructing students with moderate to severe disabilities. The benefits, including saved prep time and standardized consistency, are often why we adopt these programs initially.
But are you simply using the curriculum once you implement it, or are you truly maximizing its potential for transformative student growth?
Maximizing your curriculum is the difference between maintaining the status quo and achieving high-impact outcomes for both your students and your professional practice.
Maximizing outcomes means going beyond simply completing lessons. But what does success actually look like in practice? Success looks like:
Now that we’ve defined success, let’s explore the core strategies that will move your program from simple usage to intentional, powerful strategy.
Analyzing student data at least once a week is one of the most important best practices for effective curriculum use. This is essential for:
This robust data loop should encompass collection and analysis at the class level for identifying trends, the individual level for pinpointing specific skill gaps, and the IEP goal level for charting progress toward mastery. For example, if a student’s data shows that they are stalling on an independent lesson about shapes, you can reteach the concept with a targeted approach. Noticing other students struggling with the same concept allows you to immediately create a targeted small group.
By reviewing data consistently and thoughtfully, you’re not just tracking numbers, you’re making instructional choices that directly impact student learning and growth. Even small adjustments informed by data can lead to immediate, meaningful progress for students.
Your program works best when it becomes an embedded part of the natural flow of the school day. Integrating the curriculum into established routines makes it seamless for both teachers and students, maximizing its impact. There are several natural spots in the day where lessons can fit in effectively:
By weaving your special education program into these daily routines, it stops feeling like ‘one more thing on the schedule’ and instead becomes an embedded part of instruction. When implemented this way, the curriculum doesn’t just occupy time – it amplifies learning. Students get consistent practice, teachers get actionable data, and the entire classroom benefits from a structured, predictable, and engaging routine.
One of the biggest keys to successful implementation is ensuring staff feel supported, confident, and consistent in how they’re using the curriculum. This can be achieved through:
When staff know the ‘why,’ the ‘how,’ and feel equipped with the right tools, implementation becomes stronger and more consistent across the board.
As you plan your next phase of implementation, first define your goals for student engagement, learning, and growth. This focused vision will inform how you scale strategically. Here are a few ways to guide your approach:
The most effective scaling goals are realistic, focused, and actionable. Choosing just one or two meaningful steps is often more powerful than trying to tackle everything at once.
Celebrating wins and communicating successes is a powerful way to sustain momentum when using any curriculum provider or technology. Recognizing growth, effort, and progress motivates staff, reinforces best practices, and highlights the impact on students.
Here are some ways to build celebration and communication into your routines:
Stories illustrate the real-life impact of consistent, intentional implementation. They provide colleagues with concrete examples of what works, inspire similar strategies, and create a culture of shared success. By making recognition and communication a regular practice, you reinforce best practices, keep staff motivated, and, most importantly, ensure students continue to experience meaningful growth.
Now that you’ve defined the path to maximize outcomes, it’s time to equip your classroom with the evidence-based curriculum designed for success. TeachTown’s standards-first, adapted core curriculum, enCORE, gives your students with moderate to severe disabilities equitable access to the general education curriculum. enCORE is more than just curriculum; it’s a pathway to student success and teacher satisfaction that includes:
✔️ Hands-on, print-based materials
✔️ Integrated technology that drives personalized learning
✔️ Scripted, differentiated lesson plans
✔️ Teacher planning resources, including scope and sequence
✔️ Much more!
You’ve built the framework for success – now, integrate enCORE to provide the comprehensive, evidence-based solution that makes your strategic vision complete.
Allison Fangman is a Customer Enablement Specialist at TeachTown who brings over a decade of special education expertise to her role, having worked as both a specialized classroom teacher for students with moderate to severe disabilities and as a district special education consultant. With dual certifications in learning/behavioral disorders and moderate to severe disabilities, a Bachelor’s Degree from Wagner College, and both a Master’s and Rank 1 from Georgetown College, she combines academic credentials with practical experience to passionately advocate for empowering diverse learners through inclusive curriculum and technology access.
Tasha McKinney brings over eight years of experience in education. After four years of teaching outdoor education programs, she pursued a Master’s in Early Childhood Special Education at the University of Texas. Since then, she has worked in classroom settings and created content for EdTech companies.