Learning List Blog

Over the last few months, the national conversation about public education seems to have shifted from a debate over the Common Core State Standards to a debate over state testing. While federal and state policymakers may change the type, number and timing of tests students have to take, testing will remain an indispensable part of our education system. Learning List’s independent alignment reports help educators understand how the instructional materials they use may be affe

McGraw-Hill’s SRA FLEX Literacy is a comprehensive reading and language arts intervention program for grades 3-8. Some content may be appropriate for students in grades K-2. Instruction incorporates print and online materials and is designed for blended learning environments. Learning List has recently completed reviews of the materials for grades K-8.

Common Core Standards Plus is a supplemental program to support English language arts, reading (ELAR), and mathematics instruction in grades K-8. Resources are in print format and complement core curricula through short daily lessons, application activities, and extended projects. Learning List has completed reviews for Common Core Standards Plus' math and language arts materials in grades K-8.

As the new school year approaches, schools across the country are in a hiring frenzy. How are districts filling the gap? As one rural Texas principal told me recently, “We’re having to rely on online courses more heavily than ever before. High school math teachers are hard to come by in small Texas towns. So, smaller districts like ours are using self-paced online courses when we can’t find a teacher for the course. What’s scary is that we don’t really know how good the cou

Starfall Education provides supplemental reading programs for grades PK-1 and supplemental mathematics materials for grade 1. Resources are available in print and online formats. Learning List recently reviewed reading products for grades and K and 1 and Starfall’s first-grade math program.

With a shared goal of helping publishers produce materials that will prepare students for success in AP courses, Learning List worked with College Board to develop alignment templates based on the recently released course frameworks. Learning List now reviews AP materials for alignment to the Learning Objectives (LO) (i.e., what students must be able to do) and separately to the Skills and Practices (i.e., larger transferable skills) contained in the newly revised AP course

Sensible Solutions’ A Common Sense Guide for Teaching Common Core Literacy is a resource to support grade 6-12 educators in transitioning to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for literacy. The print-based Guide clarifies the CCSS and the progression of literacy standards across grade levels. Learning List has completed reviews of the materials for grades 6-12.

LearnZillion is an online, open educational resource that provides supplementary mathematics teaching materials for grades 2-12. Resources are free and address the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Learning List has recently completed reviews of LearnZillion’s OER math materials.

Discovery Education’s Science Techbook for Texas is a comprehensive, web-based science curriculum for grades K-12. At each grade level, the multimodal program includes a range of digital resources, including interactive text; embedded videos, animations, and virtual investigations; and hands-on explorations.

McGraw-Hill’s SRA Imagine It! is a comprehensive reading and English language arts program for students in PreK-6. Learning List recently reviewed SRA Imagine It! CCSS-aligned materials for grades K-6 and TEKS-aligned materials for grades K-5.

Read Naturally Live is a web-based program that provides differentiated instruction to meet the needs of struggling readers and second language learners in grades 1 through 8. The customizable program supports improved vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension .... Learning List has completed reviews for the web-based program in grades 1 through 8.

Gourmet Learning Reading is a vertically-aligned, supplemental reading comprehension program for grades 1-8. The program’s modular design meets a range of teaching needs, including whole-class instruction, supplemental instruction, and Response to Intervention (RtI). Learning List has completed reviews for the supplemental reading comprehension program for grades 1-8.

Texas Economics: Math & Personal Finance is a free set of lesson plans (OER) for teaching mathematics and personal financial literacy in grades K-12. Learning List has completed reviews for Personal Financial Literacy (Grades 4-6), Personal Financial Literacy - Lessons for Classrooms and After School Programs (Grades 7 & 8) and Texas Economics: Math & Personal Finance (Grades K-3).

WriteSteps is a comprehensive, stand-alone writing program for grades K-5. Learning List completed reviews of the comprehensive (K-5) program.

Mathalicious is an online, supplemental resource that supports Common Core middle school and high school math instruction. Instruction emphasizes the application of math to real-world issues and focuses on algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability at the high school level. Learning List has completed reviews for Mathalicious Lessons for Grades 6-8 as well as Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry.

The State Bar of Texas’ OYEZ, OYEZ, OH YAY! is a supplemental open-educational resource (OER) that supports social studies instruction for grade 8 and high school students. Learning List has completed reviews of these resources.

Learning List will be presenting a session titled "Unpacking the Standards in the Transformative Classroom" at the Texas ASCD's Ignite15 conference at the Irving Convention Center - 10:30AM today in the Junior Ballroom A1.

This morning, Ed Week Teacher had a great article explaining “3 Things You Can Do This Summer to Be a Better Teacher in the Fall.” The second point the article makes is “Read, Reflect, Plan,” with an emphasis on the importance of planning. In that regard...

American Learning Labs’ Getting Ready for Algebra is a supplemental print resource to help students in grade 6 prepare for algebra. Content is presented in two self-directed study workbooks.... Learning List has completed reviews of both resources.

Cosenza & Associates’ STAAR Mission Math is a supplemental, accelerated program to help students master the TEKS and prepare for STAAR math exams in grades K-12. Learning List recently reviewed STAAR Mission Math products for grades 4-8.