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Are you looking for a math program that encourages collaboration and communication about math? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Carnegie Learning’s Math Solutions. Carnegie Learning’s Math Solutions is acomprehensive math program for students in grades 6-12. Learning List recently reviewed middle school courses 2 and 3 and high school Integrated Math I.  Math Solutions organizes instruction in Modules . Each Module includes multiple t opics (chapters)  in mathematics, such as algebraic expressions, line and angle relationships, and using exponential equations.. The core instruction is comprised of two primary components, a consumable student edition and MATHia, an adaptive, digital tutor. Students work through assignments in the consumable workbook and participate in online activities through MATHia ®.A digital platform for teachers  houses PDF versions of student material. The program focuses on students learning math deeply through thinking, working through ideas, and relating math to the real world. Students participate in activities that consistently require them to collaborate with each other as they explain, justify, and defend their solutions. Numerous opportunities to apply math skills to real-world situations, as well as assessments comprised primarily of open-ended, constructed response questions distinguish this material. Read Learning List’s full editorial review for a qualitative analysis of the blended learning experience provided by Math Solutions. Learning List has also completed a standard-by-standard review of the alignment to the Common Core State Standards and the Standards for Mathematical Practices. To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. AboutCarnegie Learning* Carnegie Learning is a comprehensive, dynamic and progressive learning technology company. Advocating a belief in teaching and determination to help students develop as learners and thinkers, Carnegie Learning is seeking to re-define the role of technology across the K-12 landscape. It delivers research-proven mathematics curriculum and the MATHia® platform for grades 6-12, project-based digital solutions for computer science, and best-in-class K-12 professional learning services. EMC School, part of Carnegie Learning, delivers blended learning resources and services for 6-12 world languages and English language arts. Mondo Education, also part of Carnegie Learning, provides high-quality literacy resources and services for K-5 classrooms. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Carnegie Learning .

What is the principal's role in selecting and implementing materials? The RAND Corporation's study titled,  School Leader's Role in Selecting and Supporting Teachers' Use of Instructional Materials , answers that question. The study explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted school leaders' perception of materials' quality, as well as their role in selecting and implementing instructional materials. The study was based on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 39 school leaders who were part of the RAND Corporation's American School Leader Panel. Though a relatively small group, the survey respondents included school leaders across the country from schools that were diverse in terms of the grade levels served and student demographics. The study found that even though instructional materials are typically selected by the school district, principals' perception of materials matter because school leaders heavily influence teachers' use of instructional materials. Principals show support for or indifference to materials in several ways, including through teacher evaluations and their allocation of resources for professional development and planning time. So what features do principals consider indicators of high quality in a material? The study first asked the school leaders open-ended questions about what they thought "good" instructional materials include and their thoughts about the following seven dimensions of instructional materials: Standards alignment : degree to which material are aligned to state and/or college-and-career readiness standards, Appropriateness of challenge : degree to which material address the academic and learning needs of students, including supports for differentiation and accessibility, Engagement : degree to which materials are likely to be engaging or compelling for students, Usability : degree to which materials are comprehensive and easy for educators to implement or adapt, Cultural relevance : degree to which the materials include content and approaches that are culturally relevant, particularly to Hispanic and Black students, Language acquisition supports : degree to which materials include supports for English learners (ELs), and Social-emotional learning supports : degree to which materials include content and approaches that promote social and emotional learning. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, principals prioritized two dimensions that facilitated teachers' use of a material, usability  and  standards alignment , as the most important indicators of a material's quality. However, the pandemic expanded the features principals assess when gauging a material's quality. Since the pandemic, principals are likely to look for additional features in materials, including online accessibility , social-emotional supports and technology integration capabilities . Interestingly, prior RAND studies found that district administrators focused primarily on materials' alignment to policy/standards, and teachers focused on whether materials would engage, challenge, and be easy for their students to use.  Overall, the school leaders' perceptions of indicators of quality were not significantly affected by differences in grade levels served by or demographics of their school. However, more elementary principals and principals of schools with a high percentage of students performing below grade level prioritized appropriateness of challenge and engagement as indicators of quality. Similarly, more middle school leaders and principals of schools with a high percentage of Hispanic and Black students gave prioritized cultural relevance as an indicator of quality. The school leaders were also asked about what process they use to select materials. The study found that when assessing the quality of instructional materials, school leaders prioritize feedback from teachers and colleagues who have used the materials. Few principals reported using rubrics with published criteria to select materials. When asked about the type of guidance they give to support teacher buy-in for newly selected instructional materials, some of the respondents mandate the use of district materials and monitor the fidelity of implementation, while others  encourage  teachers to modify or deviate from their materials. However, most principals surveyed try to strike a balance between fidelity of implementation and teacher autonomy. The majority also emphasized the role of lead teachers and/or instructional coaches in supporting successful implementation.  The report concludes with the following recommendations for district leaders: District leaders, school leaders, and teachers should participate in the selection of district instructional materials,  since each stakeholder group has a different perspective about instructional materials, and an inclusive selection process fosters buy-in. Rubrics or written criteria should be used to review materials  to achieve consistency and transparency in the review process.  Districts should provide principals with professional development about the district-adopted/recommended materials  because "school leaders understand adopted curriculum deeply, they will understand which aspects of the curriculum are flexible and which aspects are important to maintain in order to guarantee student learning." Learning List's online  Selection Toolkit  makes it easy for districts to implement those recommendations.

Introduction As teachers, we know that high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) can provide powerful instructional support. They can save planning time, keep lessons aligned to standards, and provide a clear path to help students grow. But with so many curriculum resources available, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.  The good news: a few intentional planning strategies can help you get the most out of your district’s core HQIM while still making space for your own creativity and responsiveness.  Here are five evidence-based planning tips you can use right away. 1. Start with the standards and essential questions in the material.   When lesson planning, begin by looking closely at the standards, goals, and essential questions in your core material. They are designed to drive instruction and connect to assessments, so they provide a solid foundation for your lesson.  Then verify that the material is truly aligned to those standards. Ask yourself:  What does the standard require students to know?   What level of rigor is required?  That determination will help you identify where your material is aligned to the standards you intend to cover and where adjustments are needed to fill gaps. Tip : Learning List’s Alignment reports provide page-specific evidence of whether a material is aligned to the content , context,  and cognitive rigor  of each standard, saving you hours of work.  2. Decide what is non-negotiable and what is flexible Sometimes we feel pressure to “cover” everything in our core material’s lessons, but you can still implement a material with fidelity even if you do not use every part of it. One study puts it this way: “Implementation is not simply a matter of delivering a program as written but of ensuring that core features are preserved while adapting to local contexts.” ( ERIC )   When planning, decide which pieces you will keep as written (e.g., anchor texts, key discussion questions, assessments) and where you can be flexible (e.g., examples, timing, or group structures). Identifying the “must-do” parts and the “teacher-choice” parts of the material’s lessons enables you to keep your lesson focused and meet the needs of your students without losing your own style.  Tip : Use your material to support alignment to standards, provide consistency in instruction across classrooms, and make your life easier, but adapt those lessons as necessary to meet your students’ needs.  3.  Plan scaffolds and supports ahead of time Every class has a range of learners. Core HQIM usually suggest scaffolds. Planning how you will use them ahead of time will ensure that you are ready to support struggling students or extend learning for advanced ones whenever the need arises. For example, you might:  Add guiding questions for a challenging text Model the first few problems before independent practice  Think through where students might get stuck and plan your “if/then” moves (e.g., If students struggle, then pause for guided practice; if not, move on). This blog post  suggests that to deepen learning, “assign tasks that require students to provide an explanation or meaningfully organize the material.” ( Great Minds , November 29, 2022 )  Tip : Use Learning List’s Editorial Review as a starting point for understanding how your material supports all  learners.  4.  Use the built-in assessments to check for understanding Your materials probably include quick checks for understanding, formative assessments, and unit tests designed to measure standards-based learning. Using them as designed saves you planning time and ensures you are measuring what the lesson intends students to learn.  Tip : If you adapt an assessment, make sure that the alignment to the standards is not lost. Instead of reinventing the wheel, use the provided assessments, making small tweaks only if the change better measures student learning. 5. Reflect and adjust after the lesson Strong implementation of HQIM requires continuous improvement. Taking a few minutes after class to jot down what worked, what did not, and where students struggled will help you get even more out of your materials the next time.  As CORE Education notes, strong implementation of materials is not a one-time effort but requires “intentional launch and continuous feedback cycles.” ( CORE Education )  Tip : After each lesson, ask yourself:  Which parts of today’s lesson really engaged students?  Which parts felt rushed or unclear?  These quick notes can shape your lesson planning moving forward and help you maximize the effectiveness of your instructional materials.  Final Thoughts Using core instructional materials does not mean teaching on autopilot. It means leveraging your HQIM for standards alignment, efficiency, and equity, while adding your professional judgment and creativity where it matters most. By grounding your lessons in the standards, anticipating supports, using built-in assessments, reflecting regularly, and balancing fidelity with flexibility, you will get the most out of your materials and your students will, too.

Learning List recently reviewed Teachers' Curriculum Institute’s (TCI) History Alive!  and Geography Alive!   programs for middle school. These comprehensive curricula are designed to support inquiry-based social studies instruction for grades 6–8. Middle School Courses History Alive!  includes four distinct courses for middle school: The Ancient World The World Through 1750 The United States Through Industrialism The United States Through Modern Times In addition,   Geography Alive! Regions and People   introduces students to the world’s regions through engaging, inquiry-based units. All five courses are available in both print and digital formats, making them flexible for diverse classroom needs. I nstructional Approach TCI’s social studies programs are grounded in  inquiry-based learning. Each   History Alive!   unit is organized around  Compelling Questions and includes a general content summary, while   Geography Alive!   focuses on regional studies. All units culminate in an inquiry-based project. Across the materials, units are comprised of consistently formatted lessons that: are guided by Essential Questions require students to study primary source documents, read critically, and draw conclusions conclude with activities where students synthesize their learning to create a product This structure encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Teacher & Student Supports The digital platform provides access to both teacher and student materials, including  Spanish translations to support English learners.   Teachers benefit from a dashboard  with step-by-step lesson plans, student progress monitoring , and a  rich set of resources to support instruction and implementation. Why Learning List Reviewed These Materials Last year, Learning List reviewed TCI’s elementary program,   Social Studies Alive! , which emphasizes cross-curricular connections . In contrast, the middle school courses place a stronger emphasis on  primary sources and  critical analysis. Subscribers can access our full editorial reviews to explore the rigor of these materials and the instructional supports that help educators meet the diverse needs of their students. About Learning List Learning List offers a range of curriculum support services, including a unique, low-cost subscription service that provides independent reviews of approximately 4,000 K–12 instructional materials . Subscribing districts can also submit materials for review at no extra charge. Contact us  to learn more about how our reviews help schools adopt and implement high-quality instructional materials (HQIM)  with confidence. About Teachers' Curriculum Institute  (TCI)* Teachers’ Curriculum Institute (TCI) is made up of classroom teachers and curriculum specialists committed to providing the best learning experience for students. TCI understands the complexities of the classroom and the importance of supporting differentiated teaching and learning needs. The organization believes it can make a difference in the lives of teachers and, by extension, their students. *This information is provided by TCI .

Last week, President Obama and the U.S. Department of Education recognized just over 100 exemplary superintendents for their leadership in transitioning their districts to digital learning . Interestingly, 18 of the superintendents haled from California, nine from Texas, eight from Indiana and from Pennsylvania , seven from New Jersey, six from Virginia, and four from New York. The remaining attendees came from many other states. To be selected from a peer group of thousands is a most praiseworthy accomplishment. These visionary superintendents have every reason to be proud of themselves and the teams within their districts who are successfully implementing their vision. The “ ConnectED  to the Future” venue set the stage for the President’s announcement of the expansion of the ConnectedED initiative to bring high-speed broadband and wireless access to 99 percent of America’s schools by 2017. But the real import of this event was that it focused attention on the fact that having the technology infrastructure in place will not by itself help students learn. After the first laptop initiative was rolled out in Maine, the teachers (and students) were left asking, “Now what?” This meeting highlighted steps district leaders should take to meaningfully integrate technology into the teaching and learning process. The attending superintendents and several others who participated virtually signed the “ Future Ready Pledge ” and committed to engage in the following activities to foster a culture within their districts where teachers use high-quality digital content to personalize instruction and promote inquiry and creativity: Fostering and leading a culture of collaboration and digital citizenship; Transitioning schools and families to high-speed connectivity; Empowering educators with professional learning opportunities; Accelerating progress toward universal access to quality devices; Providing access to quality digital content; Creating access, equity, and excellence – particularly in rural, remote, and low-income districts; Offering digital tools to students and families to help them prepare for success in college; Sharing best practices and mentoring other districts in the transition to digital learning. While the ConnectedED initiative was a necessary first step, the Future Ready initiative emphasizes that transitioning our public schools to become centers of 21 st century learning requires building capacity in our teachers and students to use high-quality online instructional materials to personalize and thus propel learning. Learning List  helps district leaders fulfill the promise of the Future Ready pledge. Our detailed alignment reports and editorial reviews of instructional materials help educators select high-quality digital content that will engage and equip their students with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in college or the workforce. You can read more about the Future Ready initiative here . Or click here to commit to the Future Ready District Pledge.

The start of a new school year is full of excitement, new routines, and possibilities. One of the most important steps teachers can take to set the tone for success is ensuring their daily instruction is aligned with both standards and curriculum resources. Alignment creates a roadmap for teaching and learning, providing clarity for teachers and students alike. Below are five practical strategies to help you begin the year with confidence and ensure every lesson builds toward meaningful outcomes. 1. Start with the Standards Standards are the backbone of alignment. Before planning daily lessons, revisit your state standards and ask: What are students expected to know and be able to do by the end of this unit?  Unpack the standards to ensure that you and your team know the content, the context, and the cognitive rigor of each standard in the unit. By using standards as the anchor, you ensure that every activity, discussion, and assignment connects to the larger learning goals. Research from the RAND Corporation underscores this, noting that teachers who ground instruction in clear standards and high-quality instructional materials report stronger outcomes for students (Kaufman, Doan, & Diliberti, Teachers’ Use of High-Quality Instructional Materials , RAND Corporation, 2020). 2. Use HQIM Curriculum Resources to Anchor Lessons High-quality instructional materials (HQIM) are designed to provide a coherent progression of learning. Instead of starting your lesson planning from scratch, use HQIM as the foundation. Pacing guides, lesson sequences, and embedded activities help ensure that daily instruction supports grade-level expectations. Confirm that every activity aligns with the standards—or save time by using Learning List’s alignment reports. As instructional expert Doug Lemov explains, “When curriculum, instruction, and assessment are tightly aligned, students get a coherent learning experience that builds mastery step by step” ( Teach Like a Champion 2.0 , Jossey-Bass, 2015).  3. Plan with Assessments in Mind Backward planning is essential for alignment. Start with the end in mind: What should students know or be able to demonstrate on the unit or state assessment?  Once you’ve identified success criteria, design lessons that intentionally build toward that outcome. The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching emphasizes that alignment between instruction and assessment ensures that instructional time is maximized and that all students have access to grade-level content. 4. Adapt, Don’t Abandon Alignment doesn’t mean teaching curriculum resources exactly as written. Instead, it’s about making thoughtful adaptations to meet your students’ diverse needs while maintaining the integrity of the lesson. For example, you might adjust pacing, add scaffolds for English learners, or provide enrichment for advanced students. As Carol Ann Tomlinson, a leading voice in differentiation reminds us, “Differentiation is not the opposite of alignment—it is how we ensure aligned resources meet the diverse needs of learners” ( How to Differentiate Instruction in Academically Diverse Classrooms , ASCD, 2017). 5. Collaborate with Colleagues Alignment is strengthened when teams work together to use HQIM. When teachers plan together sharing pacing calendars, assessments, strategies, and resources, they create consistency across classrooms. This ensures that all students access the same high-quality, standards-aligned instruction. Collaboration also reduces the burden on individual teachers. By pooling ideas and resources, teachers can focus more energy on engaging students and personalizing instruction. Bringing It All Together Alignment is about clarity and coherence. By starting with standards, grounding instruction in HQIM, planning backward from assessments, adapting for diverse learners, and collaborating with colleagues, you can ensure your instruction remains focused and purposeful throughout the year. Remember: alignment is not about rigidity. It is about providing a consistent, high-quality experience that helps all students thrive. When your instruction is aligned to the standards and your curriculum, both you and your students begin the year with clarity—and clarity leads to success.

Is your district looking for new elementary math materials to support the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)? Take a look at Learning List’s review of Great Minds’ Eureka Math TEKS Edition. Great Minds’ Eureka Math TEKS Edition  is a comprehensive mathematics program designed to support K-5 TEKS-based mathematics instruction.  The materials are available in print and digital formats.  The program’s intent is to spark curiosity and build confidence about mathematics. The materials focus student learning on the story of math and the connections across key concepts. Lessons are consistently designed to support conceptual and procedural understanding. Students complete their work in one of three student editions, each intended for a different purpose: Learn, Practice, Succeed.  The teacher materials include explicit lessons designed to provide the teacher with step-by-step, scripted teacher language and expected student responses. In addition to the teacher editions, the program also provides a variety of resources to support the development of teacher content knowledge and pedagogy, such as instructional videos and slides.  Read Learning List’s full editorial review to learn more about how the assessments are used to inform instruction, as well as the resources provided for differentiation. Learning List has also conducted a standard-by-standard alignment analysis of this material’s alignment to the TEKS, as well as a review of its technology compatibility and support for remote learning. These reviews not only inform selection decisions, they facilitate instructional alignment and curriculum mapping, too. To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List  for subscription information.  About Great Minds * Great Minds is a nonprofit organization that works with “teachers and scholars to create exemplary instructional materials.”  Great Minds mission is to “make the world a more knowledge-rich place.” The company strives to provide a best-in-class curriculum and brings “joyful rigor to learning.” *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Great Minds .

Carnegie Learning’s ClearMath (K-5) is a comprehensive math program available in print and digital formats. ClearMath focuses on making math meaningful and helping students build skills, confidence, and excitement. Carnegie Learning’s ClearMath combines engaging activities with tools for personalized practice and support for diverse learners. Learning List’s reviewers highlighted several features that distinguish ClearMath, including: Hands-on and game-based learning : Students learn new math concepts through teacher-facilitated discussions and interactive activities. ClearMath integrates MATHia® Adventure, an adaptive digital tutor that provides personalized, game-based instruction and practice. Assignments in MATHia® correlate directly to the skills taught in the student edition. Data-driven instruction : The program is designed to support the use of formative assessment and data to guide teaching. Each Content lesson includes built-in opportunities for teachers to check for understanding. An exit ticket informs grouping and reteaching during Re-Engagement lessons. Supports for All Learners : MATHia® Adventure is an adaptive program that provides problems and support for students at all ability levels. Mathia also includes text-to speech functionality and closed-captioned videos. Both the student and teacher resources are provided in English and Spanish and include specific resources for multilingual learners. The teacher implementation guide consistently includes differentiation guidance. Focus on mathematical thinking and reasoning : ClearMath associates Costa’s Habits of Mind with the Standards for Mathematical Practice throughout the material. The materials support the intention of the Math Practice Standards by emphasizing reasoning, defending and justifying responses, and critiquing the reasoning others throughout the lessons.  Subscribe to Learning List for access an alignment report, editorial (quality) review, and technology compatibility review for each grade level of Carnegie’s ClearMath. The detailed alignment report identifies specific pages in the material that have been verified to align to each standard. Learn about the various types of resources the program provides to support student practice in the editorial review. About Carnegie Learning * Carnegie Learning is celebrating 25 years as a leader in AI-driven technology, curriculum, and professional learning solutions for K-12 education. Our award-winning math, literacy, world languages, professional learning, and high-dosage tutoring products deliver real and lasting results. Born from cognitive science research at Carnegie Mellon University, we are known for harnessing the power of data to improve student performance. Our range of products allows us to support more than 2 million students and educators in all 50 states and Canada. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Carnegie Learning.

Do your teachers need new middle school math resources? Take a look at Learning List’s review of Maneuvering the Middle. Maneuvering the Middle is a set of print-based math resources for students in grades 6-8 and Algebra I. The resources are organized on the Maneuvering the Middle website. The organization and structure of the material make it easy to use and implement. Materials include unit overviews, pacing calendars, guided notes, handouts, and a variety of activities and tests, organized by topic into eleven units. Most of the material is provided as printable PDF documents. Unit overviews provide guidance and tips for teachers, but a comprehensive teacher edition is not provided. Students work through numerous practice problems and participate in activities that allow them to develop their skills while working in collaborative groups. The material also includes three performance tasks. Learning List has conducted a standard-by-standard alignment analysis and a review of the quality of instruction delivered by this material. Read Learning List’s alignment review to understand the extent to which the material is aligned to the 6th - 8th grade math and Algebra I TEKS and our editorial review to learn whether the material adequately supports the specific learning needs of all students. To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Maneuvering the Middle* Maneuvering the Middle is an education blog with valuable tips for lesson planning, classroom technology, and math concepts in the middle school classroom. The Maneuvering the Middle curriculum was designed by teachers who struggled to find resources that engaged their students and met the standards. So they designed their own and changed the culture of their classrooms. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Maneuvering the Middle .

In our high-stakes testing and accountability environment, academic success is rooted in students’ mastery of the state standards. State standards dictate what students must know and be able to do by the end of each grade level. Preparing all students with the content knowledge and skills contained in the standards requires campus and district leaders to be focused on aligning instruction with the state standards. Have you built a culture of standards alignment in your district/on your campus? Consider your answers to these questions: Does the district have a written curriculum to guide the implementation of the standards? Does the district curriculum communicate the level of student performance that demonstrates mastery of the standards? Do central office curriculum staff provide training and support to help educators understand the standards deeply? Do professional learning communities' (PLCs) discussions focus on teaching and assessing mastery of the standards? Do teachers use the standards to guide what they want students to accomplish in each of their lessons? Do campus and district administrators focus on standards alignment during classroom observations? Do campus support staff (i.e., instructional coaches, resource/pull-out-teachers) provide guidance and/or assistance to classroom teachers to support differentiation and intervention? Before providing remedial support for struggling students, do campus support staff have planning time with the student’s teacher to support the continuity of instruction?  Is assessment data analyzed to inform instruction, professional development, and curriculum updates? For some students, standards mastery will come easily and keeping them engaged will require more rigorous instruction and activities.  For others, meeting the requirements of the standards will require daily struggle and additional support. The goal of preparing all students to progress to the next grade level may sound routine but in reality, it requires herculean effort by teachers and campus and district leaders. Building a culture of standards alignment will ensure that everyone is rowing in the same direction for the next school year.

In 5 Tips for Planning an Effective K-12 Curriculum Review and Adoption Process , we discussed the decisions you need to make when planning an instructional materials adoption process. For an adoption to be successful, the selection committee must have sufficient guidance and time to review materials effectively. With so many materials on the market, narrowing the list of materials for the selection committee to review is a critical next step in any adoption process. This blog will outline three strategies for identifying which materials the selection committee will review. Develop a List of Available Materials To begin this process, put together a list of the materials available for the content area(s) and grade levels for courses covered by the adoption. This can be an arduous process. The Learning List , a free, publicly available directory of more than 15,000 titles of PreK-12 instructional materials can save you hours of work. Some states require districts to select from a certain list of materials. District policy may also restrict the materials a district can consider. Use the Non-Negotiables to Eliminate Materials from Consideration Once you have aggregated a list of materials for the district's consideration, use the list of the non-negotiables discussed in the prior blog post to eliminate materials that do not meet the district's basic requirements for the adoption (i.e., the maximum price, the minimum standards-alignment percentage, the necessary supports for students or resources for teachers, etc...). The non-negotiables list can help eliminate many materials from consideration. Distribute a Needs Assessment Another critical strategy in identifying the materials most likely to meet the district's needs is distributing a needs assessment to the relevant stakeholders. What is a Needs Assessment? A needs assessment is a survey for gathering feedback about the features stakeholders believe are necessary (i.e., "must haves") in the new materials(s). Typically, a needs assessment contains a list of features likely to be found in materials for the grade level(s) and subject(s)/course(s) covered by the adoption. Respondents are asked to rank or rate the importance of having each feature in the new materials. This distinguishes the must-have features from the nice-to-have features. What is the Purpose of a Needs Assessment? Distributing a needs assessment gives stakeholders beyond the selection committee an opportunity to participate in the adoption process. Giving all stakeholders a voice in the process helps build support for and mitigate opposition to the materials that are ultimately adopted. For the adoption of core materials, consider distributing the needs assessment to All teachers who will be using the newly adopted material, including teachers who provide support services All staff who will be supporting its implementation, such as instructional coaches and instructional technology staff Parents The community* A supplemental material will be used by fewer teachers and will impact fewer students than a core material. Therefore, when adopting supplemental materials, distributing the needs assessment to the teachers who will be using the materials and to the staff who will be supporting its implementation should suffice. Once the respondents have submitted their completed needs assessment, the person running the adoption should aggregate the needs assessment responses to identify a single list of features stakeholders believe the new materials must have. This list should be used to eliminate more materials from the list under consideration so that only between three and five materials remain on the list of materials the selection committee will review. Having helped hundreds of districts with their adoptions over the last decade, we have observed that giving a selection committee more than five materials to review typically results in lower-quality reviews and/or the submission of fewer completed rubrics. A district recently asked us whether they could distribute the needs assessment with the rubric. We explained that the needs assessment must be distributed before the rubric is distributed for the following reasons. The needs assessment should be distributed to many more stakeholders than just the selection committee members, whereas the rubric will only be distributed to the members of the selection committee. Moreover, the aggregated list of needs assessment must-haves should be used to customize the rubric the selection committee will use to review so that the rubric reflects the district's priorities for the adoption. Customizing the rubric will be discussed in the next blog post.

Learning List has reviewed McGraw Hill’s AP (Chang) Chemistry, 12th Edition. The course is a comprehensive resource that supports instruction in high school Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry courses. Content is available in print and digital formats with additional online resources. Chang Chemistry provides a straightforward introduction to the concepts, principles, and theories of chemistry through guided inquiry and problem solving activities. The text’s first chapter introduces core principles in the study of chemistry (e.g., states of matter, the scientific method) and strategies for chemical problem solving. Subsequent chapters address key concepts (e.g., acids and bases) while maintaining a strong connection to the College Board’s big ideas and essential knowledge statements. Each chapter begins with an outline of the chapter (i.e., section titles and page numbers), an “AP Big Ideas: A Look Ahead” feature, and a set of essential questions. Look Ahead introduces content in the context of the big ideas addressed by the chapter.  Essential questions reference the relevant essential knowledge statement(s) of the course framework (e.g., “What is a gas? 2.A.2”). Each chapter ends with practice problems reference the relevant chapter sections and require students to demonstrate quantitative reasoning, conceptual understanding, and critical thinking thinking skills. Some chapters include a “Chemical Mystery” activity that presents a real-world mystery for students to solve using chemistry skills (e.g., “Who Killed Napoleon?”). The activity begins with a short narrative explaining the mystery followed by a set of “Chemical Clues” for students to consider. About McGraw Hill Education* At McGraw-Hill Education, we believe that our contribution to unlocking a brighter future lies within the application of our deep understanding of how learning happens and how the mind develops. It exists where the science of learning meets the art of teaching. Our mission is to accelerate learning through intuitive, engaging, efficient and effective experiences – grounded in research. Educators have been and always will be at the core of the learning experience. The solutions we develop help educators impart their knowledge to students more efficiently. We believe that harnessing technology can enhance learning inside and outside of the classroom and deepen the connections between students and teachers to empower greater success. By partnering with educators around the globe, our learning engineers, content developers and pedagogical experts are developing increasingly open learning ecosystems that are proven to improve pass rates, elevate grades and increase engagement for each individual learner while improving outcomes for all. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from McGraw Hill Education . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and detailed alignment report for this material, and thousands of other widely used Pk-12 resources.