With school starting, districts across the country are scrambling to find teachers for their classrooms.  Yesterday, educators and policymakers gathered in Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend the Oklahoma Teacher Pipeline Summit to discuss long-term solutions to the teacher shortage.  Some of the policy-based solutions that were discussed include: State-funded loan forgiveness, scholarships or signing bonuses for university-prepared teachers who commit to working in a public school; State funded paid student teacher internships; University-created courses to prepare future educators for subject specific knowledge (e.g., the Tulsa University is creating a STEM minor for future teachers), pedagogical knowledge, and skills educators need to support today’s students, including courses in childhood trauma. An interim legislative study on policy solutions to address teacher shortages is anticipated. The problem of how to find qualified teachers and how to keep them working in schools is not unique to Oklahoma. Though not optimal, a practical, short-term solution that many districts turn to are online courses. As one rural Texas principal said, “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 courses are.”   Students can’t learn what they’re not taught. A material’s alignment to state standards becomes  even more crucial  when there’s not a certified teacher in the classroom to act as a safety net for a material’s deficits.  In such cases, students have to rely exclusively on the online course for the knowledge and skills he/she needs to master the state tests.  If the material is not well aligned, the district is setting the student up to fail. Learning List  gives districts peace of mind that the materials they are using will teach their students what they need to know to be successful.  Our detailed alignment reports show specifically where the material (e.g., specific page numbers, lesson titles) is aligned to each standard and which standards the material is not aligned to at all. If a material is not aligned to 100% of the state’s standards for a grade and subject, our Fill-in-the-Gap™ tool recommends additional materials that fill in the gap to ensure that students are getting materials that teach 100 percent of the state’s standards. These may be other comprehensive or supplemental products; they may be publisher-produced materials or free open educational resources we have reviewed. Beyond the alignment, our editorial reviews asses each product’s instructional quality, including the rigor, student engagement, adaptions for special student populations and ease of use. We also test which devices and operating systems each material works on and does not. Online materials not only differ in their alignment to standards, their instructional quality and design vary significantly.  Some products are text heavy, requiring students to read extensively; others provide text features and videos to support student learning of key concepts.  Some products require students to work through long segments of instruction before activities or checks for understanding are provided. Others chunk learning in manageable segments with regular checks for understanding and consistently embedded activities.  Some provide supports to help all learners access and understand the content; other do not. And, some online products are device agnostic while others only work on specific devices. With reviews for over 3000 of the most popular materials, Learning List has reviewed hundreds of online, self-paced courses aligned to most states’ English and Math standards. For Texas districts, we have reviewed online courses in all four core subjects. Contact us for access to reviews of online courses that can help your district support inexperienced teachers or fill in where teachers are not available.

Are your teachers ready for new ELA materials for high school?  Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Into Literature. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Into Literature is a comprehensive literacy program that supports English language arts instruction for grades 9 through 12. Content is available in print and digital formats. Instruction develops students’ reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking skills with learning activities that provide numerous opportunities and structures for effective group and partner work. Into Literature integrates reading and writing instruction. The program provides an abundance of high-quality, thought provoking reading selections.  Text sets for each unit correlate to numerous themes and topics. Formal writing instruction occurs at the end of units and generally serves as a culminating task. Into Literature supports a blended learning environment with numerous online tools and resources. Online teacher and student resources are housed in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Ed: Your Friend in Learning platform.  A robust set of online teacher resources provide content knowledge, pedagogy, and implementation assistance. Successful implementation of this program will require time for professional learning and planning throughout the school year. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  These reviews and the online tools available on LearningList.com not only inform selection decisions, they facilitate curriculum mapping and instructional alignment, as well. To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt* Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global learning company committed to delivering integrated solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental solutions and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 3 million educators in 150 countries, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Does your district need instructional materials to support implementation of the NGSS? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Science Dimensions. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Science Dimensions is a comprehensive science program for grades K-12. Learning List has reviewed the materials for middle school Life, Earth and Space, and Physical Science. Science Dimensions provides relevant, real-world opportunities for students to work and think like scientists and engineers. The material supports the intention of the Next Generation Science Standards by consistently providing students with three-dimensional learning experiences, integrating the Cross-Cutting Concepts and Science and Engineering Practices with the Disciplinary Core Ideas. Students are consistently required to synthesize new information and find answers to challenging questions and problems. Critical thinking is further supported through projects and labs that address real-world problems, such as sound in a theater and selecting the best types of fencing. Material includes resources to support the needs of a variety of learners, including limited support for English language learners. The digital platform, Ed Your Friend in Learning, provides an abundance of resources to support students’ learning experience. However, teachers will require training and ongoing planning time to effectively use these resources. Learning List’s editorial review analyzes the instructional content and rigor, explaining how the material’s design, features and instructional strategies support the effective implementation of the NGSS. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt* Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global learning company committed to delivering integrated solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental solutions and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 3 million educators in 150 countries, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Are you looking for a fully digital product for high school science? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Edmentum’s high school science courses. Edmentum’s High School Science is a comprehensive high school science program. Learning List recently reviewed the material for high school biology, chemistry, and physics. The goal of the courses is to provide rigorous, relevant instruction  through interactive, media-rich content.  Edmentum provides a comprehensive digital experience with a learning management system (LMS) that is easy to navigate and encourages students to monitor their own progress through progress reports, portfolios, and self-evaluation. Numerous digital tools support a multi-modal presentation of instruction through text, video, images, animation, and technology-enhanced items. Students participate in a variety of lessons and can collaborate with other students in the class through the online platform. Labs are included, and they provide detailed procedures and instructions. The courses can be customized by teachers to meet the needs of individual students.  Course content is available in twenty languages and digital adaptions support students with specific learning needs.  Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment review, a qualitative review of the instructional content, and a review of the technology compatibility for each of the three science courses. 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 Edmentum* Edmentum’s Courseware is a standards-based online learning program grounded in a tradition research, pedagogy, and innovation. Edmentum develops curriculum that challenges students with a 21st century approach - engaging them with interactive, media-rich content. Whether students are falling behind, at grade level, or advanced, Edmentum accommodates their unique needs in an environment in which they will thrive. Courseware can be used in a lab setting, a blended model in which online courses supplement the traditional classroom, or through a completely virtual experience. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Edmentum .

Center for the Collaborative Classroom’s Being a Writer is a supplemental writing program for students in grades K-5. The program provides genre-based writing instruction intended to help students develop a love of writing and an appreciation for expressing their thoughts in writing. The program focuses on academic as well as social and ethical learning through the creation of a classroom writing community. Being a Writer s caffolds and vertically aligns writing and social skills instruction across grade levels. The lesson structure includes daily independent writing time. Writing instruction throughout the program is genre based and focused on authentic writing. The program does address preparation for standardized writing tests beginning in grade three. Being a Writer e ncourages students to think critically and creatively by selecting their own topics, structuring their own ideas, and providing evidence to support their opinions. Intentional connections between reading and writing are evident in the program. Teachers use authentic texts as models for writing, and students consistently write about what they have read. Extensive professional development resources, a teacher’s guide with notes and instruction, and robust online instructional resources support teachers at each step in planning, instruction, and assessment. Teacher materials support work in teacher teams and professional learning communities. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Center for the Collaborative Classroom * Collaborative Classroom, a nonprofit organization, improves the school experience of children around the globe by providing teachers with engaging curricula and ongoing professional learning that support the academic as well as the social and emotional development of the students we all serve. Our mission is to provide a sustainable, scalable, and affordable way for schools and districts to implement  research-supported teaching practices  that support teachers with helping students grow as readers, writers, and thinkers as they develop the social and emotional skills necessary to thrive. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Center for the Collaborative Classroom .

Glencoe’s iScience is a set of comprehensive materials for middle school science. Materials are available in print and online. Each discipline of science (life, earth and space, physical) is a separate set of materials designed to encourage students to learn scientific concepts and apply those concepts to the real world. iScience supports the intent of the Next Generation Science Standards with numerous opportunities for students to be scientists and do science. Materials encourage students to make connections between scientific concepts and real-world scientific phenomena. Units include a variety of labs that increase in complexity throughout the unit.  Consistent application of the 5E model as well as labs, questions, and lesson activities provide numerous opportunities for student to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This material provides substantial resources for instruction in blended learning environments. Adaptions for students with specific learning needs include text-to-speech narration and specific activities for above-, on-, and below level learners. However, support for speakers of languages other than English is limited to a multilingual glossary and translation of some materials into Spanish. A robust set of teacher materials includes an interactive teacher edition and numerous online resources. Teacher resources also include professional learning videos to support implementation, planning, assessment, and pedagogy, including content area reading strategies. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About McGraw Hill * McGraw-Hill Education’s mission is to accelerate learning through intuitive, engaging, efficient and effective experiences – grounded in research. By partnering with educators around the globe, McGraw-Hill 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 .

Do you need a free engaging game for math practice?  Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Prodigy Math Game. Prodigy Math Game is a free, supplemental, online math role-playing game for grades 1 through 8. The game provides math practice problems in a game-based format that is self-paced and adaptive to address multiple levels of achievement. The game focuses on moving a student-created wizard through various challenges as the student solves math problems. Students may spend more time playing the game than practicing math problems. The game context and storyline is substantially the same across all grade levels. Student performance is recorded in the online system, and the teacher dashboard generates reports for teachers to use to evaluate student performance and determine next steps in instruction. Teachers can set up classes and add students. Students can play the game at school or at home. Prodigy is free, but students have the option to purchase a full subscription and additional game accessories. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Prodigy* Prodigy provides an online math game for students in grades 1 through 8. The company’s goal is to provide an engaging math platform that addresses students’ individual needs in all major topics of math. Prodigy is free to teachers. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Prodigy.

Do you need a comprehensive reading assessment for students in kindergarten through grade 6?   Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Scholastic’s Next Step Guided Reading Assessment . Scholastic’s Next Step Guided Reading Assessment(NSGRA), is an assessment tool designed to support teachers using responsive teaching to make data-driven decisions about reading instruction. This product is designed for use in grades K-6, with one kit for grades K-2 and another kit for grades 3-6. The four-step NSGRA process provides a comprehensive, data-based view of students’ reading strengths and needs, including reading level. This material is primarily a set of assessments. All the materials required to administer the four assessments are included, along with general instructional planning guidance. Daily lesson plans and student instructional materials are not included with this product. Teachers enter data into the online platform, Scholastic Digital Manger, which provides reports teachers can use to link assessment to instruction. Administration of assessments, data entry, and analysis of data will require a significant time commitment for teachers. The online platform includes extensive resources to support and guide teachers in administering the assessments, entering the data, and using the resulting reports to inform instruction. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Scholastic* Scholastic was founded in 1920 as a single classroom magazine. Today, Scholastic books and educational materials are in tens of thousands of schools and tens of millions of homes worldwide, helping to  Open a World of Possible  for children across the globe. Scholastic’s mission is to encourage the intellectual and personal growth of all children,  beginning with literacy. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Scholastic.

Rosen-LightSail is a supplemental reading program for students in grades 2-12. The program is fully digital and adaptive. The focus of Rosen-Lightsail is on improving students’ reading abilities, increasing reading stamina, and encouraging a love of reading. The program supports individualized instruction with books matched to students’ Lexile levels that address a variety of topics students will find interesting. Books are available in English and in Spanish. Students have access to a personal library of age-appropriate, leveled texts partnered with embedded activities and formative assessments.  Existing activities include cloze questions with each text and a limited number of other types of questions. The system includes a variety of customizable features, empowering teachers to add content, questions, and texts to support individualized instruction. Teachers can easily monitor student progress with in-the-moment data presented in easy-to-read reports. Data includes information such as number of books read and cloze questions answered. Students are also encouraged by monitoring their own progress on the student dashboard. Learning List has completed a qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Rosen-Lightsail * Rosen-Lightsail believes excellent content shouldn’t come at a high price. Through partnerships with leading content providers, LightSail give students and educators access to thousands of outstanding fiction and nonfiction texts, so all students can discover who they are as readers through great texts. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Rosen-Lightsail .

Do your English teachers need instructional materials at a variety of reading levels?  Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Savvas’s myPerspectives. Savvas’s myPerspectives is an English language arts program for grades 6 through 12.  This review is specific to grades 9 through 12. The material focuses on making learning relevant for students and on developing skills to support college and career readiness. Most lessons focus on text analysis and writing to learn and demonstrate learning. myPerspectives supports teachers in four distinct roles: teaching, facilitating, advising and assessing. Lessons encourage students to set goals, make choices, and reflect on their learning. Each unit provides a plethora of reading material for students at varying reading levels. Students select from among a variety of texts for independent reading.  Writing instruction and tasks are embedded throughout the program and language skill instruction is integrated in the writing instruction. While prompts are provided for writing assignments, students have choices within the prompts and prompts tend to be open-ended to allow creativity. A substantial number of resources are available to support students with specific learning needs. myPerspectives supports blended learning environments through the digital platform and instructional app. Many of the student and teacher resources are part of the online platform, so  access to the online resources for teachers and students is necessary to realize the full benefit of this program. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Savvas* Savvas provides expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Savvas’s mission is to help people make progress through access to better learning. Bringing digital learning to school children worldwide, Savvas is helping to transform education with full-time online and blended schools, online courses, technology, and host of support services. With a focus on successful student outcomes, these programs deliver high-quality, highly personalized, and flexible learning experiences -- students are able to complete schoolwork when and where they learn best, 24/7. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Savvas .

If your district is looking for a STAAR test preparation product, take a look at Learning List’s review of Sirius Education Solutions STAAR Readiness Review and Practice. Sirius Education Solutions STAAR Readiness Review and Practice for grades 6-8 math provides supplemental test-preparation products intended to help Texas middle school and high school students prepare for STAAR assessments. Content is available in print format with online teacher editions. Learning List only had access to the print student edition for this review. Instruction incorporates a structured three-step approach to exam preparation: diagnostic assessment, focused remediation, and post-test.  Content is presented simply and supports students who choose to work independently. This product does not include differentiated instruction for students with specific learning needs. Brief pre-and post-tests are intended to guide students and teachers in recognizing instructional needs. These assessments generally include one question per readiness standard. The primary focus of the text is the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Readiness standards. The material provides step-by step solutions to STAAR-styled questions and includes STAAR reference materials such as a formula chart and a glossary of key terms. Instruction focuses on key words for mathematical operations (e.g., less than, times, plus) and working backwards to solve problems. A much shorter section at the back of the text provides practice on TEKS Supporting standards. The instruction does not specifically address the TEKS process standards, although the publisher does provide a correlation of the practice problems to the process standards. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Sirius* Sirius is an Austin-based publisher focused on helping all students succeed on the STAAR tests. Sirius takes enormous pride in test prep solutions designed to provide success for Texas educators and students. Sirius only sells in Texas. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Sirius Education Solutions .

Are your teachers ready for new ELA materials for middle school?  Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Into Literature. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Into Literature is a comprehensive literacy program that supports English language arts instruction for grades 6 through 8. Content is available in print and digital formats. Instruction develops students’ reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking skills with learning activities that provide numerous opportunities and structures for effective group and partner work. Into Literature integrates reading and writing instruction. The program provides authentic texts across a variety of genres and reading levels. While most texts are within a Lexile range that is grade appropriate, some texts are below grade level. Commonly read texts are not adjustable by reading Lexile and alternative texts are not provided. Text sets for each unit correlate to numerous themes and topics. While all topics are age appropriate, some topics, such as the Holocaust and surviving a hurricane may be delicate for students. Into Literature supports a blended learning environment with numerous online tools and resources. Online teacher and student resources are housed in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Ed: Your Friend in Learning platform.  A robust set of online teacher resources provide content knowledge, pedagogy, and implementation assistance. Successful implementation of this program will require time for professional learning and planning throughout the school year. Learning List has completed a standard-by-standard alignment report, qualitative review of the instructional content and a review of the technology compatibility for each grade level covered by this material.  To learn more about this product and thousands more PreK-12 instructional materials, contact Learning List for subscription information. About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt* Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global learning company committed to delivering integrated solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental solutions and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities. HMH serves more than 50 million students and 3 million educators in 150 countries, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.