How many Units are there? Student competencies targeted by Power2Achieve (P2A) curriculum are organized into 8 distinct focus areas. At the moment, six of the focus areas have one P2A Unit each, and two focus areas have two P2A Units each, for a total of 10 P2A Units. See the current list of Power2Achieve Unit titles.

Do I (or my school) need to purchase and implement all Power2Achieve Units at once? No. The Units are designed as stand-alone learning modules, so that they can be implemented by themselves or in any desired combination.

Do the Power2Achieve Units need to be used in any particular order? No. A school can identify a particular area in need of improvement and utilize the appropriate Unit (or a set of Units) to address that specific need. For example, a school may have a need to address bullying. In this case, the school may start with Unit 5.1: Stand Up to Peer Pressure and Unit 1.1: Consider the Perspectives of Others. In other words, a school can select those Units that match existing needs and implement in any order that fits their designated implementation structure and available time (e.g., integrated into a specific content area, in advisories, etc.).

What if our school does not know which Unit to begin with? IEE offers the Culture of Excellence & Ethics Assessment (CEEA) surveys for students, faculty, and (optionally) parents. By administering the surveys and studying the results, schools or districts can benchmark their current state and identify areas in need of improvement. They would then utilize this data-driven process to plan which of the Power2Achieve Curriculum Units to use and in what order.

Can I view a Unit before I make a purchase? Yes, you can! A Free Trial for Unit 1.1 is available on our website.

Where do schools utilize the Power2Achieve Curriculum during the school day? The Power2Achieve Curriculum is designed to provide a flexible system of teaching and learning supports. The flexible design of the curricular resources allows schools and teachers to make the curriculum work in any area they choose. Different Units may be selected and targeted for different areas of implementation. Some schools have used the curriculum as part of an Advisory class or in a Freshmen Seminar class. Other schools have used different Units as part of their English class, Health class, or Home-Economics Class. Other schools have used it in place of a Study Hall, and others have placed it into their Success 101 section for seniors.

Does a teacher have to follow lesson delivery steps precisely as described in the Lesson Plans? No. The flexible design of the curricular resources means that the steps outlined in the lesson plans in the Teacher Guidebook can be used as a guide (or an example of one way of delivering a lesson). However, the teacher can choose how to utilize based on the structure and time that they have available as well as the needs of their learners.

How long does each lesson take to deliver? P2A lessons are designed for 50-plus minutes of delivery. This means that we expect that, on average, teachers would need a minimum of 50 minutes for the introductory experiences in each lesson's learning strategies. Depending on the structure of delivery and the needs of the learners, lessons can be extended as necessary. It is also possible to extend learning from introductory experience to reinforcement of the targeted competencies and skills over time.

How long does it take to prepare for a lesson? This depends on how the lesson is delivered. If only minor adjustments need to be made to the lesson as outlined, it should take an average of 20 minutes to prepare. Preparation time would obviously increase, if the facilitator wishes to make significant changes to the flow of a lesson or the activities to be used during the lesson to meet the needs of their students or environment.

What is the difference between a Classroom License and a Building License, and how do I purchase them? A Classroom License is intended for a single individual: it allows the purchaser to use the included Power2Achieve curricular materials in their classroom — whether they teach one class or multiple classes. Classroom license materials can be purchased directly from IEE online store. With a purchase of a classroom license, you will receive a hard copy of the Teacher Guidebook plus all Unit materials in digital format (download link that will be sent to you via email). You can also purchase Student Workbooks in hard copy for all of your students (sold in sets of 10 at the online store), or you can print out the required student materials from your digital master copy.

A Building License allows the use of included Power2Achieve curricular materials by everybody in the building. The building license fee includes all materials in digital format only; all materials can be printed out as needed. You can also order Teacher Guidebooks and/or Student Workbooks in hard copy to accompany the building license. If you are interested in a building license purchase, please contact IEE directly.

What is included in a Teacher Guidebook? A Teacher Guidebook includes an introduction to the Power2Achieve Curriculum, full-size Unit Tools, 4 lesson plans, outlines of lesson slides and student materials, complete bibliography to the theory and research utilized in the Unit, and in some instances supplemental materials. Full-size lesson slides to use for projection or with SmartBoards, student workbooks, and supplemental materials are included in digital format.

What is included in a Student Workbook, and do I need to buy it in hard copy? A Student Workbook includes all Unit Tools, Student Materials — the assignments that are used during each lesson, blank space for extra work by students, and the bibliography. Hard copies of Student Workbooks allow students to continue working on the development of the targeted competencies beyond the introductory lessons, and they can be repeatedly used by students as reference manuals keeping all unit-related knowledge and work in one place. Yet, teachers/schools can make their own decision as to whether they would like their students to have the hard copy workbooks (to be either purchased through IEE or printed locally), or to print out and use only the pages from student workbooks required for work during class.

Does a school need professional development or training before they implement the curriculum? Although receiving Power2Achieve training would offer the best chance for success in the classroom, schools may not have resources for professional development. All Teacher Guidebooks include a detailed introduction and a bibliography to the research behind the teaching strategies used in the Unit. The Lesson Plans are set up in a clear and concise way that offers step-by-step instructions for the facilitator to follow. There are slides prepared and included in each lesson that can serve as visual guides for the activities of the lesson. The objectives and teaching strategies (tools) are laid out clearly at the beginning of each lesson and with some preparation, the facilitator should be able to deliver the lesson effectively.

How can I get support after purchasing Power2Achieve curriculum? Please email us at IEE, and an appropriate P2A program coordinator or coach in your area will be able to answer your questions.

How do schools pay for Power2Achieve curriculum? The Power2Achieve Curriculum aligns with many educational initiatives such as Core Curriculum Standards, RTI, PBIS, SEL, Safe and Supportive Schools, as well as 21st Century Skills. Many schools already have funding available to address these issues and can use them to pay for Power2Achieve curricular resources. Please review some funding ideas here.