Why Alignment of Supplemental Materials is Critical to Students' Success

In today’s classrooms, supplemental instructional materials, such as worksheets, videos, lesson plans, games, and online activities, are everywhere. A recent study

by the RAND Corporation found that nearly all teachers (97%) reported using at least one supplemental resource weekly, with many drawing on several at once. 

Teacher-created supplemental resources are especially common. In the RAND study, nearly half of teachers reported using self-developed supplemental materials (Doan et al., 2025, pg. 22). Many of these resources come from free online marketplaces like Teachers Pay Teachers, Pinterest, and Khan Academy, and increasingly, educators are using AI tools to generate customized instructional content.  

When carefully vetted for standards alignment, supplemental materials strengthen instruction by providing scaffolds, enrichment, and interventions that accelerate learning. However, when materials are not aligned, they can undermine student progress and create confusion.

Over the last 12 years, Learning List has reviewed nearly 4,000 core and supplemental materials across all four core subject areas. Whereas we find most core materials to be highly aligned, supplemental materials are far more varied in their alignment, even when judged only against the standards they were designed to address.

Why Alignment of Supplemental Materials Matters

Given their widespread use, supplemental materials play a significant role in classroom instruction. Verifying the alignment of those resources is critical for the following reasons:

1. To Prevent Learning Gaps and Misconceptions

Using non-aligned supplemental resources creates gaps in student learning, which compound over time, leaving students unprepared for assessments and future coursework. A 2019 Fordham Institute study of 300 of the most downloaded supplemental English Language Arts lessons (from thee popular websites: Teachers Pay Teachers, ReadWrite Think, and Share My Lesson) revealed that the downloaded lessons did “a poor job of building students’ content knowledge, and they are generally not cognitively demanding” (Polikoff & Dean, 2019, pg.15). 

2. To Maximize Instructional Time

Teachers already face immense time pressures. Aligned materials ensure every activity builds toward mastery of grade-level standards, reducing the need for reteaching.

3. To Promote Instructional Equity Across Classrooms

Without aligned resources, instructional quality depends on individual teacher judgment and access to resources, which can lead to inequities across classrooms. High-quality, standards-aligned materials promote equity and consistency, ensuring all students have rigorous learning opportunities.

Conclusion

Supplemental materials can be powerful tools for enriching instruction, scaffolding learning, and closing gaps, but only when they are aligned to standards. Districts that prioritize standards-aligned supplemental resources:

• Empower teachers with confidence,

• Protect valuable instructional time, and

• Give students the best chance for long-term success.

  
  

In an era when teachers rely heavily on supplemental content, alignment is essential for student success.

Learning List’s Alignment Tool makes it easy to check the alignment of any instructional resource in just minutes. Starting at $600 per year, this tool is accessible to districts of all sizes. Contact Info@LearningList.com to request a free trial account.