Beyond the Launch

Rivet Education
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Why is successful curriculum implementation so hard to get right, and what makes lasting change stick?  Take a close look at the moments, decisions, and mindsets that turn great plans into real classroom impact. In each episode, we skip the polished talking points and dig into the real stories behind successful implementation, from leadership and coaching to professional learning, data, and change management. You'll hear what worked, what didn't, and what leaders wish they'd known sooner.

Episodes

  1. 6 Aug

    Why Curriculum Implementation Fails Without Change Management

    Change management is often the missing piece of successful curriculum implementation. In this episode of Beyond the Launch (formerly the PL Reality Check Podcast), Rivet Education's Claire Rivero sits down with Director of Product Jennifer Rabb-Wells to connect change management principles to curriculum implementation. Drawing on experience as a classroom teacher, curriculum publisher, and product designer, Jennifer explains how school systems can move beyond procurement and build the conditions for lasting implementation--and what happens when you get stuck in procurement mode! Together, they unpack a proven change management framework, discuss the five essential components of successful implementation (vision, skills, incentives, resources, and action planning), and share real examples of how missing just one element can create confusion, anxiety, resistance, or stalled progress. In this episode, you'll learn: Why curriculum adoption and curriculum implementation require different leadership strategiesHow change management improves HQIM implementationThe role of curriculum-based professional learning in building teacher confidenceCommon implementation mistakes districts make and how to avoid themHow to assess where your school system is in its implementation journey

  2. 3 Jun

    Leveraging Data to Improve HQIM Implementation: A Conversation with Amreena Hussain

    What happens after a district adopts high-quality instructional materials? In this episode of PL Reality Check, Annie Morrison sits down with Amreena Hussain, founder of EdBetter and former leader at both the Texas Education Agency and Maryland State Department of Education, to unpack findings from EdBetter's new report, Instructional Improvement Through Curriculum-Aligned Classroom Observations. Drawing on data from more than 2,000 classroom observations across five partner districts, the conversation explores a popular question: What actually drives successful curriculum implementation? The findings point to the critical role of teacher preparation, curriculum-aligned professional learning, classroom observation data, and leaders who know the curriculum deeply enough to support instructional improvement. If you're interested in turning curriculum investments into measurable improvements in teaching and learning, this episode offers both evidence and practical lessons from the field.

  3. 31 Mar

    Why Do Professional Learning Providers Fail the PLPG Review Process?

    Ever wondered why some professional learning providers make the cut for the Professional Learning Partner Guide and others don’t? Maybe you've noticed your provider isn't in the guide—or that they were, and now they're not. Should you be worried? In this episode of The PL Reality Check, we sit down with Sruthi Echarry Diaz to pull back the curtain on Rivet’s Professional Learning Partner Guide review process. We break down the most common reasons providers don’t pass, what reviewers are really looking for, and how feedback is used to improve professional learning across the field. If you’ve ever questioned what it actually takes to meet the bar for high-quality, curriculum-based professional learning, this conversation offers a clear, honest look behind the scenes.

  4. 11 Mar

    The Provider Test Key Questions That Show Whether Multilingual Learner Support Is More Than a Promise

    In Part 2 of this conversation on The PL Reality Check, PLPG Director Dr. Joslyn Richardson sits down with Dr. Chalon Jones of the English Learners Success Forum to explore the key questions leaders should ask to determine whether a provider truly supports multilingual learners—or is simply making promises. Dr. Jones shares practical guidance on how effective professional learning translates research on language development into real classroom practice, how providers should help teachers integrate language and content instruction, and what evidence districts should look for to confirm that the provider can back up their claims: what classroom practice looks like for their clients, how outcomes change over time, and more.

  5. 3 Mar

    The Multilingual Learner Expertise Gap What Teachers Need (But Often Don’t Get)

    In this episode of PL Reality Check, we sit down with Chalon Jones of the English Learners Success Forum (ELSF) to examine the multilingual learner expertise gap—and what it means for curriculum implementation. Chalon shares why multilingual learners have too often been treated as an “add-on” rather than central to instructional design, and how that shows up in both high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and professional learning. She walks through the development of the Professional Learning Partner Guide's new Multilingual Learner Badge, which she helped co-develop with Rivet Education, explaining what it signals about a professional learning provider's ability to support language development in the context of HQIM. This conversation offers clear insight into what teachers need in order to provide full access to HQIM for their multilingual learners.

  6. 03/12/2025

    Is There a Right Way to Structure PLCs?

    Claire Rivero sits down with Nicole Cooley from Kids First Education to talk about professional learning community (PLC) design. Every school holds PLCs in some form, but many are more of an obligation to be checked off. Nicole outlines the essential components of PLCs that are tied to experiences teachers actually find useful!

  7. 03/12/2025

    Questions That Separate Real Students-with- Disabilities Expertise from Lip Service

    Joslyn Richardson sits down with Lauren LeBental, Vice President of SPED Strategies to identify three questions education leaders should ask potential PL providers (or themselves if PL is designed in-house) to understand with professional learning content will support teachers serving students with disabilities.

  8. 03/12/2025

    Cutting Through the Noise: Three Questions Every District Should Ask About Science of Reading PL

    Joslyn Richardson sits down with Shira Hillyer to identify three questions that a district leader should ask a potential professional learning provider (or themselves if PL is designed in-house!).

  9. 03/12/2025

    Why "Inclusive" Professional Learning Often Leaves Students with Disabilities Behind

    Joslyn Richardson sits down with SPED Strategies Vice President Lauren LeBental to discuss how the needs of students with disabilities are often overlooked in traditional professional design.

  10. 03/12/2025

    Science of Reading PL Is Everywhere—How Do We Know What it Should (Not) Be.

    Joslyn Richardson sits down with Shira Hillyer, founder of Elevating Standards to talk about what's often missing when it comes to the science of reading PL so many districts are investing in. She offers guidance on what to look for to separate PL based on buzzards from learning that will transform teacher practice.

  • 10 Episodes

About

Why is successful curriculum implementation so hard to get right, and what makes lasting change stick?  Take a close look at the moments, decisions, and mindsets that turn great plans into real classroom impact. In each episode, we skip the polished talking points and dig into the real stories behind successful implementation, from leadership and coaching to professional learning, data, and change management. You'll hear what worked, what didn't, and what leaders wish they'd known sooner.

Information

  • Creator
    Rivet Education
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Rivet Education
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Launch

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