What do we want students
know and be able to do?
For students in the Houston Independent School District, the answer is found in the
curriculum documents developed by the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department.
Each document provides specific information and serves a specific purpose. Currently,
teachers and administrators can reference three curriculum documents when planning
instruction and writing lesson plans. Vertical Alignment
Matrix
The Vertical Alignment Matrix provides a developmental mapping of objectives across grade
levels. The scope of objectives at each grade level and the progression from grade level
to grade level serves to delineate instruction and outlines the accountability for
specific student learning at each grade level.
 Vertical Alignment Matrix
TEKS/TAKS Correlations
The alignment between the district curriculum and the state standards are documented in
the TEKS/TAKS Correlations documents. The TEKS/TAKS Correlations defines the relationship
between the HISD objectives and the state standards known as the Texas Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS). The document also reflects the learning that will be assessed on the Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).
Horizontal Alignment Planning Guides
Planning Guides, sometimes referred to as the scope and sequence, outline
the objectives to be taught during a specific grading cycle. For the secondary
schools, six guides will be developed and for elementary schools which are on a nine-weeks
grading cycle, there will be four guides.
In addition to specifying the objectives that will be targeted, teachers are given
guidance in the amount of time that should be allocated for teaching an objective or group
of objectives. The guides also provide instructional considerations and instructional
strategies that the teacher may use to make learning more student-centered and
interactive. Professional resources for the teacher as well as instructional resources to
enhance the instruction are provided, giving teachers and students additional support.
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