How Schools and Districts Meet Rigorous Standards Through Authentic Intellectual Work: Lessons From the Field

Meet challenging standards by promoting students’ authentic intellectual work

Educators have long called for more rigor and engagement in classroom work, alongside calls for enhancing equity. Yet classroom practices and student outcomes have been slow to change.

A promising solution is the research-backed, real world-tested potential of the Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework to meet intellectually challenging standards including Common Core. This book provides

Richly detailed case studies of successful AIW implementation at the statewide, districtwide, and individual school levels
Illustrations of collaborative teaming to advance higher-order thinking, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school Exemplars of how AIW transforms professional development and evaluations and increases coherence and alignment of initiatives

There is no such thing as a simple formula for school improvement, but the AIW approaches presented in this book will help school- and district-based teams improve the quality of instruction, assessment, and curriculum for more rigorous and more equitable student learning

It is inspiring to read these educators’ testaments to the profound personal and professional impact of their efforts to promote students’ authentic intellectual work.

-Fred M. Newmann, Emeritus Professor

University of Wisconsin-Madison

AIW is an instructional game changer. It has brought coherence across our district’s schools as we help our teachers help students become 21st-century learners.

-Michael Duncan, Superintendent

Pike County Schools, GA