This report presents thorough documentation of how the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development Network supports the work of policymakers in its 14 member states and whether these efforts have translated to increased access to and use of high-quality instructional materials and professional learning opportunities for teachers in those states.

Building State Capacity and Strategies to Promote High-Quality Instructional Materials

Implementation and Outcomes of the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development Network

Susan Bush-Mecenas, Sy Doan, Ivy Todd, Melissa Kay Diliberti, Lauren Covelli, Sabrina Lee, Zhan Okuda-Lim

ResearchPublished Jul 31, 2025

Note: This report was updated on August 26, 2025, to clarify the relationship between the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development (IMPD) Network.

Instructional materials, such as printed textbooks and digital resources, are a cornerstone of education in kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) education and represent a powerful lever for improving classroom instruction. Historically, the selection of instructional materials in the United States has been predominantly led by local school districts, allowing material selection to be tailored to the specific needs of students and educators. Although this decentralized approach is intended to ensure local alignment, critics argue that it creates inefficiencies, neglects best practices, and contributes to disparities in instructional quality across districts. Over the past two decades, state education agencies (SEAs) have increasingly expanded their roles in this process, encouraging the adoption of state-approved instructional materials and aligned professional learning (PL) opportunities to improve instructional quality and better align materials with state standards.

The Council of Chief State School Officers' (CCSSO's) High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development (IMPD) Network provides member states with several resources, including a dedicated coach, structured in-person convenings guided by IMPD leadership, and opportunities for peer learning to promote the use of HQIM in their states. This report presents thorough documentation of how the IMPD Network supports the work of policymakers in their member states and whether these efforts have translated to increased access to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and high-quality PL (HQPL) opportunities for teachers in their states.

Key Findings

IMDP Network member states found coaching valuable

  • Member states reported that coaching support — offered by experienced professionals with policy expertise and local knowledge — was a valuable resource for them that provided tailored guidance, project management assistance, and insights on potential policy strategies. Member states also benefited from regular in-person convenings, which facilitated peer knowledge-sharing across states.

IMPD Network strengthened the policymaking capacity of SEAs

  • Member states' participation improved SEAs' policymaking capacity, particularly in (1) improving the alignment of SEA structures, routines, and activities; (2) expanding access to knowledge and expertise; and (3) developing individual knowledge and skills.

IMPD member states led in policy development related to IMPD Roadmap goals

  • IMPD states had more policies than non-IMPD states to support districts in identifying, adopting, and funding HQIM and HQPL. These states reported progress on all five policy areas, significantly signaling the quality of HQIM and HQPL to districts and schools and distinguishing their approach from non-IMPD states.

Districts considered SEA guidance in their often-complex HQIM selection processes

  • District leaders attended to the local context and fit in their instructional materials selection processes: SEA guidance was one of several factors shaping districts' decisions concerning selection processes.

HQIM usage and HQPL participation increased nationwide

  • Between 2019 and 2024, HQIM usage in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics increased across both IMPD states and non-IMPD states.
  • Teachers in IMPD states are more likely to participate in ELA HQPL.

Recommendations

  • Intermediaries and multistate networks should encourage SEAs to dedicate time, space, and attention to specific, clearly defined HQIM and HQPL policy goals.
  • Intermediaries and multistate networks should provide access to experienced coaches, with policy and strategy expertise, project management skills and tools, and a strong understanding of local contexts to effectively guide policy work.
  • Intermediaries and multistate networks should create opportunities for peer or role-alike collaboration on shared policy goals with appropriate supports for shared learning and interaction.
  • SEAs should identify and connect peers in similar roles across SEAs to share learning experiences and strategies on policy goals.
  • SEAs should survey national and state policy approaches to identify promising policy strategies and adapt them to local contexts.
  • SEAs should analyze organizational capacity gaps and pursue alignment and support to overcome typical policy challenges.
  • SEAs should integrate with school district policies, providing clear guidance on how new state policies or activities will supplement, supplant, or integrate with existing district practices.
  • SEAs should track changes to behavior envisioned for district administrators, school leaders, educators, and other support staff.
  • SEAs should capitalize on broader national policy movements to build urgency and allyship around advancing HQIM and HQPL work.
  • Funders should encourage intermediaries and SEAs to identify target behavioral changes of actors across the system.
  • Funders should plan for long-term investments for state policy changes to translate into classroom-level improvements, instruction and student experience.

Topics

Document Details

Citation

Chicago Manual of Style

Bush-Mecenas, Susan, Sy Doan, Ivy Todd, Melissa Kay Diliberti, Lauren Covelli, Sabrina Lee, and Zhan Okuda-Lim, Building State Capacity and Strategies to Promote High-Quality Instructional Materials: Implementation and Outcomes of the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development Network. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3948-1.html.
BibTeX RIS

The research described in this report was sponsored by the Walton Family Foundation and conducted by RAND Education and Labor.

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited; linking directly to this product page is encouraged. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial purposes. For information on reprint and reuse permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.

RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.