Achieve Standards Coverage

This guide walks you through achieving complete standards coverage for your curriculum—ensuring every standard in your target framework is addressed by your content.

What is Standards Coverage?

Standards coverage measures how completely your curriculum addresses a set of educational standards:

• 100% coverage = Every standard is aligned to at least one content node
• Coverage gaps = Standards with no aligned content
• Over-coverage = Standards aligned to multiple nodes (often desirable)

Why Coverage Matters

Complete standards coverage:

• Meets adoption requirements - Many states require full coverage
• Ensures completeness - No learning objectives missed
• Supports teachers - Clear alignment aids instruction
• Enables compliance - Documentation for reviews

Prerequisites

Before starting:

• Have a substantially complete curriculum
• Know your target standard set (CCSS, TEKS, NGSS, etc.)
• Have the standard set imported into CurryCMS
• Understand your alignment philosophy (1:1 vs. many:many)

Step 1: Set Your Coverage Goal

Choose Your Standard Set

1. Navigate to Standards in your curriculum
2. Click Coverage Report
3. Select your target standard set
4. View initial coverage baseline

Define Success Criteria

Determine what "complete" means:

Document Exceptions

Some standards may intentionally have no coverage:

• Standards outside grade level scope
• Standards covered in companion materials
• Standards pending future content

Note these exceptions for compliance documentation.

Step 2: Analyze Current Coverage

Review the Coverage Report

The coverage report shows:

Identify Gaps

Export or view the uncovered standards list:

1. Click View Uncovered
2. Review each uncovered standard
3. Categorize gaps:
   • Content exists, not aligned - Quick fix
   • Content needed - Requires authoring
   • Intentional gap - Document and exclude

Map Gaps to Content

For each uncovered standard:

1. Read the standard carefully
2. Search your curriculum for related content
3. Note potential alignment locations
4. Flag content that might need creation

Step 3: Close Alignment Gaps

Quick Wins: Align Existing Content

For content that exists but isn't aligned:

1. Navigate to the content node
2. Open Standards section
3. Click Add Alignment
4. Search for the uncovered standard
5. Select and save

Systematic Alignment

Work through uncovered standards methodically:

For each uncovered standard:
  1. Identify the concept/skill
  2. Search curriculum for matches
  3. If found → align
  4. If not found → flag for creation
  5. Mark standard as addressed

Use the Standards Picker

The picker helps find standards efficiently:

1. Open a content node
2. Click Add Alignment
3. Browse by domain/cluster or search
4. Multi-select related standards
5. Save all alignments at once

Step 4: Create Missing Content

Identify Content Needs

From your gap analysis, list content to create:

Author with Standards in Mind

When creating new content:

1. Start from the standard's requirements
2. Design content that addresses the full standard
3. Align during creation (not after)
4. Verify alignment matches intent

Expand Existing Content

Sometimes existing content just needs enhancement:

1. Review current content scope
2. Identify what's missing for the standard
3. Add components to address gaps
4. Update alignment if needed

Step 5: Verify Coverage Quality

Alignment Accuracy

Check that alignments are accurate:

• Primary alignment - Content directly teaches the standard
• Supporting alignment - Content reinforces or applies the standard
• Tenuous alignment - Weak connection (reconsider)

Review High-Volume Nodes

Nodes with many alignments may need review:

1. Find nodes with 5+ alignments
2. Verify each alignment is accurate
3. Consider if content is trying to do too much
4. Split content if needed for clarity

Expert Review

For quality assurance:

1. Have curriculum specialists review alignments
2. Verify alignment accuracy with standard experts
3. Compare to exemplar aligned materials
4. Document alignment rationale

Step 6: Handle Edge Cases

Standards Requiring Multiple Exposures

Some standards need multiple touchpoints:

Standard: 3.OA.7 - Fluency with multiplication facts

Aligned to:
├── Lesson 2.3: Introduction to Multiplication
├── Lesson 2.5: Multiplication Strategies
├── Lesson 3.2: Multiplication Practice
├── Lesson 4.1: Multiplication Fluency Check
└── (multiple activities throughout)

This over-coverage is appropriate for foundational skills.

Cross-Cutting Standards

Standards that span multiple topics:

1. Identify all relevant content
2. Align each instance
3. Note the cross-cutting nature
4. Consider a "standards overview" document

Process Standards

Standards about doing (not content):

These often align to many lessons. Develop a consistent approach.

Step 7: Document Your Coverage

Coverage Reports

Generate reports for stakeholders:

1. Navigate to Standards Coverage
2. Select the standard set
3. Click Export Report
4. Choose format (PDF, CSV, etc.)

Alignment Evidence

For each alignment, you can document:

• How the content addresses the standard
• Where in the content the alignment occurs
• Assessment evidence of standard mastery

Exception Documentation

For intentional gaps:

## Standards Not Covered

### 3.NBT.3 - Multiply by multiples of 10
**Reason:** Covered in Grade 4 curriculum
**Reference:** Scope and sequence document

### 3.MD.2 - Liquid volume and mass
**Reason:** Addressed in companion science curriculum
**Reference:** Cross-curricular alignment map

Step 8: Maintain Coverage

When Content Changes

After editing content:

1. Verify alignments still apply
2. Remove alignments if content shifted
3. Add alignments if scope expanded
4. Check coverage report for new gaps

When Standards Update

If your standard set is revised:

1. Import the updated standard set
2. Run coverage against new standards
3. Map old to new standards (crosswalk)
4. Update alignments as needed
5. Address new coverage gaps

Regular Audits

Schedule periodic reviews:

Common Issues

"Coverage percentage decreased"

Check for:
- Removed content with alignments
- Added standards to the set
- Alignment cleanup removing weak alignments

"Can't find standard to align"

Verify:
- Standard set is imported
- You're searching the correct set
- Standard exists (check version/year)

"Too many alignments per node"

Review if:
- Content scope is too broad
- Alignments are accurate
- Consider splitting content

Tips for Success

1. Align as you author - Easier than retrofitting
2. Use coverage reports regularly - Catch gaps early
3. Document exceptions - Explain intentional gaps
4. Involve standards experts - Accuracy matters
5. Plan for updates - Standards change over time

Related Documentation:
- Standards Alignment - Alignment process
- Standards Coverage - Coverage features
- Standards Crosswalks - Mapping standards
- Working with Content - Content editing