What Happened to the Creative in the Creative Curriculum?

Authors

  • Lacey Peters Hunter College, City University of New York
  • Mark Nagasawa Bank Street College of Education
  • Maria Mavrides Calderon Hunter College, City University of New York
  • Abigail Kerlin Bank Street College of Education
  • Helen Frazier Compass Charter School
  • Beth Ferholt Brooklyn College, City University of New York
  • Erica Clarke Yardy Teachers College, Columbia University
  • Marjorie Brickley Bank Street College of Education
  • Alisa Algava Graduate Center, City University of New York

Keywords:

early childhood education, curriculum, assessment, policy, neoliberalism

Abstract

This empirically-grounded commentary questions the basis for New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) adoption of the Teaching Strategies products—the Creative Curriculum (CC) and Teaching Strategies GOLD—as the mandated curriculum and assessment systems for early childhood education (ECE) programs administered by the New York City Public Schools. In an analysis shaped by our hybrid positionalities as early childhood educators, parents, policy makers, and researchers, we argue that this decision is a local case of neoliberalism’s simultaneous narrowing of educational quality and a transfer of public funding into private hands under the guise of the free market. Our commentary, which is augmented by examples from our research and practice, begins with an overview of New York City’s (NYC) ECE system, contextualized within national systems issues in ECE. This provides important framing for discussing the evolution of NYC’s ECE curricula and assessment as the city expanded its public preschool programs. We end by considering how U.S. ECE was ensnared by the Global Education Reform Movement (GERM), sounding a call to action for scholars, advocates, and educators to mobilize against a (seemingly) unassailable GERM through organizing and coalition-building.

 

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Published

2025-07-21