The Integrated Curriculum and Instruction (ICI) Learning Support Organization is one of four learning support organizations within the New York City Department of Education’s structure of school support organizations. ICI uniquely assists schools with deepening the work of inquiry and academic achievement to prepare students for mastery of the new basics of the 21st century — thinking and problem solving — to meet the high demands of a global economy.

ICI supports schools in developing a rich intellectual “thinking curriculum” that builds knowledge and skills around big ideas, makes cross-content connections and life applications, to integrate the arts, and use technology as tools for both teaching and learning. ICI works with principals to ensure that students engage in high-order thinking tasks and use a variety of technologies with ease and confidence. Hand in hand, we work with schools to ensure that students can work and problem solve collaboratively in an environment of mutual respect, as well as building and challenging one another’s thinking.

To assist schools, the ICI research and development team of field experts brings each school deep knowledge of current research and proven effective practices in instruction and data analysis. Along with the schools’ Executive Officers for Instruction and Network Support Specialists, school leaders have access to high-quality professional learning opportunities to ensure each school’s thinking curriculum is rigorous, standards based, assessment driven, and delivers daily quality instruction resulting in high levels of student learning and achievement. The ICI team is led by an experienced, successful leadership team that understands how all schools are unique and require customized services to continue and strengthen the work in which they have been engaged.

The 363 member schools of ICI Leadership Support Organizations (LSO) span all five boroughs and all levels of school K-12. Schools belong to a network of 15–20 schools matched by common instructional methodologies, grade configurations, and targeted student and/or school needs. Schools have self-selected their network to the extent that capacity allowed; or, in consultation with ICI, were matched to an appropriate network. Each network is supported by an executive office for instruction and network support specialists.

ICI is an experienced team of professionals that is dedicated to supporting schools and school leaders who share their philosophical vision, believe in the constructivist approach to teaching and learning, and want to work with a partner that has a collaborative, team-based approach. ICI’s services best complement schools that are working or would like to work with its service partners, which are organizations that follow a similar approach to teaching, learning and student engagement and capacity building.