This qualitative study was designed to examine and identify the site-based process that two elementary, independent schools, accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools use for curriculum and instructional development. Also, the study examined and identified the development and use of assessments to support each school's curriculum development process. I conducted onsite responsive interviews with the individuals in the school who were most responsible for the curriculum development while recording the interviewees' narrative descriptions. After the data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed, the following four themes emerged: 1. The curricular development process in independent elementary schools is shared among a diverse group of stakeholders and is likely to reflect the school's mission and goals. 2. The curriculum development process is advanced by accessing and utilizing areas of strength that exist among the faculty. 3. Assessments can be used to identify areas where curriculum and instruction have "fallen short" so that curriculum decision making can be targeted to address those specific areas or skills. 4. The two schools in the study developed plans to use technology in order to improve their access to the information so that the data could be used to evaluate and make improvements to the curriculum and instruction in a timely, judicious, and research supported manner. Recommendations are identified for future studies that could enhance our understanding of the curriculum development process and the use of assessments in independent elementary schools. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]