Review Methodologies

Learning List’s alignment verification process is a rigorous, multi-step system overseen by our Director of Alignment. Multiple certified subject matter experts (SMEs) sequentially review citations in the publisher’s correlation for alignment to the relevant state or national standards. After SMEs complete their reviews for a given grade level, the Director of Alignment ensures completeness and resolves any discrepancies among reviewers within and across grade levels. We then calculate the percentage of standards to which the material is aligned for each grade level. What Alignment Means A citation (e.g., lesson, activity, assessment item) is considered aligned only if it fully addresses the content, cognitive rigor, and context of the standard. Publisher Preview Process Before publication, publishers preview the alignment report and may submit additional citations for any standard for which no aligned citations were found initially. These new citations are reviewed using the same methodology, and the alignment percentage is updated accordingly.

For products reviewed through the Texas State Board of Education’s Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process, Learning List publishes the state review panel’s alignment report and alignment percentage.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Learning List uses the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA’s) official alignment templates and review methodology. Each Student Expectation is broken down into components (Breakouts, Elements, and Sub-Elements). A material is considered aligned to a Student Expectation only if at least one aligned citation addresses every component. Common Core State Standards (CCSS) The alignment percentage reflects the proportion of standards for which we found at least one aligned citation. If a standard includes multiple expectations, we must find at least one aligned citation for every expectation for the material to be considered aligned to that standard. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Materials are reviewed for alignment to each Performance Expectation (PE) and its three dimensions (Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts). However, the alignment percentage reflects only the proportion of PEs to which the material is aligned. A material is considered aligned to a PE only if we find at least one aligned citation for that PE.