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The Secret Lives of Curriculum Developers

By Kate McIntyre
Learning & Life Columnist

Curriculum developers, the people who choose textbooks and figure out what public schools should teach, reach hundreds or thousands of students each year. Their decisions shape the education of countless American students. CNN Money recently announced a list of the 50 best jobs in America, and curriculum developer was near the top of the list. If you are looking for a behind-the-scenes career in education, consider curriculum development.

Working in Curriculum Development

Curriculum developers are deeply involved in education administration. They work to improve the quality of the education students receive. They evaluate a school's current curriculum and meet with teachers and administrators to find out how well the lessons are meeting the school's goals. Then, they recommend improvements. Many curriculum developers also evaluate textbooks and educational software and make recommendations about which ones should be purchased.

Training and Salary

To get started on your curriculum development career, you need to earn at least a bachelor's degree in education. If you are worried about having enough time to earn a degree, consider an online education program from an accredited college or university. Often, people who are already working as teachers make the jump into curriculum developer jobs. They already are familiar with the challenges of teaching, so they can draw upon their own experiences. If you are starting a training program in curriculum development, you should try to take courses in curriculum evaluation, instructional approaches, and research design.

According to CNN Money, curriculum developers make $55,793 per year on average. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs in curriculum development should grow much faster than average over the next few years. Now is truly a great time to translate your passion for education into a curriculum development career.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Best Jobs in America: Curriculum Developer"
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Instructional Coordinators"

About the Author
Kate McIntyre, a fiction writer in Portland, Oregon, holds an M.F.A. in fiction writing from Oregon State University.

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