For many schools, the challenge of rigorous instruction isn’t a lack of effort, but a lack of clarity. When curriculum, assessments, and instruction operate in silos, teachers are forced to bridge the gaps themselves, resulting in inconsistent student experiences. At Friendship Academy of the Arts, leadership recognized that true transformation requires instructional coherence: the alignment of what is taught, how it is measured, and how teachers are supported.
By partnering with Achievement Network (ANet), Friendship Academy has created a unified system in which every lesson and data point reinforce one another toward grade-level mastery for every child.
As a result of their focus this year, students in grades 2-8 have shown a 9% increase in mastery of text evidence.
Principal Tyler Aliperto explains that this coherence creates a "consistent message" across the building. "When everyone is using the curriculum with fidelity, we can see consistency from classroom to classroom," he says. This isn't just about administrative ease. It's about student experience. When the bar for rigor is consistent in every room, every student—regardless of their starting point—is exposed to the same high-level thinking and complex texts.
Anna McKinney, ANet Director of Experience and Impact, notes that this alignment changed the way teachers viewed their own materials. "Teachers were able to see the rigor of the text that is expected of students in a grade-level assessment, and then see that the level of rigor in their curriculum actually matches that.” This realization shifted instructional habits. Instead of simplifying texts for students who were struggling, teachers began using the curriculum’s supports to keep the bar high.
At Friendship Academy, data is not a post-mortem of what went wrong. It’s a live map for where to go next. The partnership has shifted the culture from looking at "scores" to analyzing student thinking. By utilizing ANet’s actionable data, leaders and teachers can identify precise, high-leverage instructional adjustments.
The results of this data-focused approach are measurable and significant:
While adopting high-quality materials is a vital first step, Friendship Academy and ANet recognize that access to HQIM does not automatically guarantee its impact. A gap often exists between curriculum and classroom instruction. This is where ANet’s partnership matters most, helping educators operationalize coherence.
"Teachers have named that there’s a lot in these materials, and they weren’t always sure where to start," says Anna McKinney. The coaching provided by ANet acts as a filter, helping teachers move from feeling overwhelmed by a robust curriculum to feeling empowered by it.
Executive Director Kerry Kliman notes that this bridge-building is essential for long-term change: "Those ANet assessments have allowed teachers to access the curriculum and helped develop teacher mindset around using data to support instructional material usage.” By focusing on specific teacher actions, the partnership ensures the curriculum is used effectively to meet the needs of the students in the room.
Teacher Daniel Kleven reflected on this and shared, "Coaching has helped to take a high-quality curriculum... and give us specific things that we can focus on and master.” This support has allowed teachers to shift their mindset from "getting through the lesson" to "mastering the standard." As teachers become experts, they gain the autonomy to make curriculum accessible without compromising on rigor.
Furthermore, this coaching has expanded the school’s leadership capacity. As ANet Coach Anna McKinney points out, the partnership allows principals to focus on the "big picture" of school culture while ANet provides the granular, instructional expertise that drives daily classroom shifts.
Ultimately, the goal of instructional coherence is to change students' trajectories. As literacy instruction becomes more coherent, the most profound change is evident in students' experiences.
Teacher Jenny Craig has witnessed a transformation in her students. "Hearing the way students are reading... their confidence has skyrocketed," she says. When students are supported to succeed with grade-level, complex texts, they begin to see themselves as readers.
Executive Director Kerry Kliman sees this as a new era for Friendship. "I’ve seen a lot of growth in the way that our systems have developed...ensuring that students are receiving better and more effective instruction every single day.” By grounding their work in the power of coherence, Friendship Academy of the Arts is ensuring that part of their legacy serves as the foundation for a future of reading success.