What Makes a Good K–12 Curriculum?

October 2, 2025 byConnections Academy

6 min to read

A student participating in a science experiment

Ask parents what they want out of a school, and many will say “a good curriculum”—especially those thinking of transferring their student into a new learning environment. But what exactly is a good curriculum? How can you identify a good curriculum? And what does an effective curriculum look like?

What Is a Curriculum?

At its most basic definition, a curriculum refers to the series of courses taught to students in a school. However, the term more broadly means the totality of the educational experience offered by a school. In other words, a school’s curriculum isn’t just the courses, it’s also the staff, teachers, resources, and everything else that makes a school what it is.

What Are the Features of a Good Curriculum?

Simply put, a good curriculum is an effective and rewarding educational experience for a student. So, how would a school go about creating a rewarding experience for their students, and what makes a curriculum effective?

There are five core aspects that come together to create a high-quality curriculum.

1. Expert-Designed Courses

If your first answer to “What is a good curriculum?” focused on the quality of the courses at a school, you weren’t far off. Courses are the centerpiece of any curriculum and are essential to its success.

When looking at K–12 schools—whether they’re traditional brick-and-mortar schools or online schools—you will likely want one that offers courses designed by education experts. Typically, this means the courses won’t just be a series of lectures or worksheets, but multifaceted lessons that make sure each student is learning according to their learning preferences and abilities.

This means courses are interactive experiences that help students build knowledge and allow them to apply that new knowledge to a project, paper, or other assignment.

2. Caring, Certified Teachers

When asking what makes an effective curriculum, teachers are an essential part of the answer. A curriculum without a teacher is like a boat without a captain; even the best-designed courses will falter if a good teacher isn’t at the helm.

When determining the quality of a school’s teachers, the first step is to look for certification. Every state has a form of state certification that teachers must typically obtain before being allowed to teach at a public school in that state. However, there are other certifications, degrees, and credentials that the best teachers tend to earn.

For example, at Connections Academy, every teacher holds at least a bachelor’s degree and is certified in the subject and at the grade level they teach. Additionally, Connections Academy teachers are trained in online learning and know how to teach online school courses in a way that makes them highly effective.

3. Student-Centered Learning

In general, the more student-centered a curriculum is, the higher quality it will be. That student-centered philosophy is seen most prominently in two areas.

Flexible Schedules

When students have more freedom in their daily and weekly learning schedule, they often learn better. That’s because empowering students and their families with a flexible schedule lets them arrange their classes and schoolwork around their natural rhythms and other commitments.

At a truly flexible school like Connections Academy, students aren’t tied to rigid class schedules. In many cases, they aren’t even tied to a weekly class schedule. It’s not uncommon for Connections Academy students to divide up their coursework so they focus on half their subjects early in the week and half later. Plus, if they have a week with an unusual schedule due to family commitments, a doctor’s appointment, or other event, they can work around it without falling behind in their studies.

Individualized Learning Plans

Most schools allow students in higher grades to choose one or two electives every year, and many have honors and special education programs available for students who qualify for them. While these offerings are helpful, they are considered part of a normal curriculum rather than a high-quality curriculum.

When determining what is a quality curriculum, it’s important to look for offerings that provide a higher degree of customization than what’s found in a typical school. After all, no two students learn the same way; the more their learning path aligns to their strengths and challenges, the better.

That’s why individualized learning plans play a key role in a quality curriculum. Connections Academy provides a good example of how individualized learning plans work.

At the online school, learning plans are formed in consultation with the student, their parents, and their teachers. Together, they review the student’s background, academic history, strengths, skills, and previous academic performance. Then the student completes a series of tests in core subjects. With this knowledge, the student, parents, and teacher set goals and create a learning plan that includes the best series of courses and resources for the student and their unique needs and goals.

4. Parental Involvement and Support

Research has shown there’s a strong correlation between parental involvement and positive educational outcomes. However, there’s a difference between a school where parents can only help with homework and a school where parents are treated as educational partners.

Schools that invite parents into the learning process understand the value that families bring to their child’s education. That’s why schools with the highest quality curricula also include families in everything from creating a learning plan to setting daily schedules to helping with their child’s learning.

Take Connections Academy online school. Here, parents often serve as their child’s Learning Coach and receive plenty of support from teachers and staff in the process.

5. Preparation for a Successful Future

An effective curriculum also prepares students for life after high school, whether that means going to college or immediately joining the workforce.

Many Connections Academy schools offer a College & Career Readiness Offering that combines traditional courses with industry-leading, career-focused opportunities to help students develop the skills, real-world experience, and industry connections.

Students at every Connections Academy school can hone essential skills like critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and leadership. And they can work with their school counselor to explore and identify the career path that’s right for them.

These kinds of courses don’t just help students learn and retain information; they also help students build real-world skills. And experts agree that modern school curricula need to build real-world skills, so students are better prepared for the future.

These real-world abilities include hard skills like computer literacy, as well as soft skills like adaptability, resilience, and perhaps most important, critical thinking.

Many employment experts cite critical thinking as vital to success in the workplace. But that’s not the only way critical thinking can help students. Critical thinking is also key to college success. And, in these complex and fast-changing times, critical-thinking skills can help students navigate the world and find opportunity wherever and whenever it arises.

What Does an Effective Curriculum Look Like?

A school with a high-quality curriculum can make a major difference in your child’s education. The good news is that schools with good curricula are more readily available than you might think — particularly when you factor in online school. To help you decide the next step for your child, download our eGuide and speak with an enrollment specialist to learn more about Connections Academy.