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American Reading Company’s (ARC) Core is a comprehensive, project-based reading, writing, and research program for students in grades K-12. Available in print and online formats, resourcesaddress the instructional shifts of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (e.g., “Building knowledge through content-rich nonfiction”). Instruction is organized in a workshop structure that provides opportunities for whole class, small group, and one-on-one instruction. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades K-5. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> ARC Core presents instruction in four units. Unit 1 is a Literacy Lab and Units 3-4 are thematic Research Labs. At the center of instruction is the “Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA)” and “Evaluación del nivel independiente de lectura (ENIL).” These formative assessments identify each student's current reading level in either English or Spanish and prescribe an individualized sequence of instruction to help each student master the standards. The ENIL is not simply a translation of the IRLA. Instead, it assesses students’ progress in the developmental sequence for reading acquisition in Spanish. ARC Core uses individual student IRLA/ENIL data to project each student’s reading growth at the end of the school year, as well as a summary of growth across each classroom. Administrators can use SchoolPace to assess growth across classrooms, grade levels, and campuses. A “Data Wall” report provides an easy-to-read comprehensive view of data at the grade and classroom levels. About American Reading Company* ARC’s mission is to ensure every student is reading on or above grade level. Built and run by education activists, American Reading Company is a trusted partner of 5,320 schools and 1,070 districts in 50 states. ARC’s team helps strengthen district and school capacity at every level by placing literacy and agency at the heart of school transformation, through: Expertly Curated Classroom Libraries Thematic Inquiry Core Curriculum K-12 Reading Instruction & Assessment Teacher and Leader Learning As a result, all students read, write, discuss, think, investigate, and solve problems at ever-increasing levels of proficiency. Their academic performance is accelerated and their life prospects are fundamentally improved. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from American Reading Company . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

A recent report from Curriculum Associates discusses the Every Student Succeeds Act’s (ESSA) requirement that federal education funds be used for evidence-based programs, interventions, and products. “ESSA and Evidence Claims: A Practical Guide to Understanding What ‘Evidence-Based’ Really Means” provides a primer for educators in understanding the four levels of evidence recognized by ESSA (e.g., moderate evidence), the type of study that exemplifies each level (e.g., quasi-experimental), and the five questions educators should ask when evaluating research-based evidence (e.g., “When was the study conducted?”). One of five questions for evaluating evidence, in particular, caught Learning List’s attention: “Was the study based on current content and standards?” ESSA assumes that the evidence base for a product, program, or service is based on the state’s current standards, but it is possible that the research is grounded in prior state standards or another state’s standards, altogether. It is the district’s responsibility to vet information to ensure products purchased with federal funds and the evidence supporting the products’ effectiveness are based on the appropriate standards. A tall order but Learning List can help. Learning List’s alignment reports clarify which set of standards a product addresses, such as the Common Core State Standards or the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Our alignment reports evaluate the product’s alignment, determining whether the material fully addresses the content, context, and cognitive demand of each of the relevant standards. Thus, Learning List’s alignment reports provide strong evidence about whether a product is grounded in the relevant standards. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> In terms of establishing a product’s research base, Learning List invites publishers to submit a “Publisher Questionnaire” which contains a set of questions that commonly appear in district RFPs, including “Provide information about the research base supporting the product’s methods and effectiveness.” While not all publishers complete the Questionnaire, those who do generally provide an overview of the evidence supporting their product’s ability to improve student outcomes and provide links to the original research studies. Learning List does not verify the publisher’s research claims, but the Questionnaire helps educators find and evaluate the publisher's research base for themselves.

Solid instruction begins with an analysis of student data followed by the development of targeted learning objectives/goals and instructional practices aimed at achieving them. District curriculum documents identify high-level learning objectives. Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes (SLOs) are growth targets set by teachers to help them plan instruction and drive learning throughout the year. SLOs are guided by the district curriculum and based on student data. SLOs also provide schools and districts with a way to make best instructional practice a common expectation for all teachers. Here are four ways teachers can use their materials to achieve SLOs: (1) After the focus of an SLO has been identified, check for causal connections between students’ learning deficits and deficits in the alignment of the district/campus’ instructional materials you have been using. Verify the alignment of any citations (lessons, activities, quizzes) you are planning to use to the standards students are struggling with. Learning List's alignment report for each material identifies which citations listed in the publisher's correlation are aligned to each standard and which citations are not aligned. (2) Use your existing materials to scaffold instruction from prior grade levels to address learning gaps that have persisted over multiple grade levels. Learning List’s alignment comparison tool and alignment report for each grade level make it easy for teachers to identify citations in their existing materials that are aligned to the standards students are struggling with at any grade level.  < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> (3) If you have already used the content in your existing materials that is aligned to the standards students are struggling with, reusing the same content to reteach those standards is usually not an effective strategy. You will need to look for new materials or resources aligned to those standards. The Learning List will help you identify other materials available for the course you are teaching. Additionally, Learning List’s Fill-in–the-Gap(TM) tool and search-by-standard search filter make it easy to identify new materials, including free open educational resources that are aligned to specific standards. (4) Investigate whether your existing materials have the supports students need to learn the content and/or skills they are lacking. Consider also  whether the materials you intend to use are engaging and sufficiently rigorous to help your students achieve their learning objectives and whether the materials will help you measure their progress. Learning List’s editorial reviews identify the material’s instructional model, supports for special populations, resources for differentiating instruction, and progress monitoring tools.

Glynlyon’s Odysseyware provides comprehensive online products that support instruction across a range of content areas for students in grades 3-12. Odysseyware resources support instruction in self-paced and credit-recovery programs and blended learning environments. Content incorporates instructional videos, grade-appropriate texts, games, and interactive learning activities. Learning List recently reviewed Odysseyware middle school science and high school science courses for Texas. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Reviews include high school Biology , Physics , Chemistry , Integrated Physics and Chemistry , and middle school courses for grades 6-8. For each course, direct instruction is provided in short video lectures and an accompanying online text. In video lectures, teachers clarify new terminology and introduce new concepts and skills. The narrative is broken into manageable sections and contains graphics, illustrations, and images to support understanding. Embedded examples with solutions are provided. Margin notes provide hints and tips and connect content to students’ real-world experiences. Most units include experiments that may be completed either as online or as a hands-on activity with teacher supervision. Online experiments generally are presented using a video that asks students to record their observations and respond to written prompts. Guidance in conducting hands-on experiments is provided for teachers. Some units include projects that require students research and topics in biology (e.g., research the reasons muscles become sore after exercise). About Odysseyware* Odysseyware takes the question of where students can learn out of the equation. With its fully HTML5 course library, students can learn anywhere, anytime, on any device, via a powerful Learning Management System delivering hundreds of multimedia-based courses. Students have access to CTE, Advanced Placement®, core and elective options, all aligned to national and state standards. They also have access to powerful supports including translations in 23 languages, vocabulary and reference libraries, text-to-speech, and immediate coaching for writing skills via the Writer Tool. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Odysseyware . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Rally! Education’s STAAR Math Rehearsal PLUS and STAAR Reading Rehearsal PLUS are supplemental products that support preparation for Texas’ STAAR mathematics and reading testing in grades 3-8 (i.e., Levels C-H), respectively. Content is available in print and online formats. Learning List recently reviewed online resources in each content area. Resources at each grade level include two practice exams that reflect the grade’s STAAR mathematics and reading tests and tools to help teachers evaluate students’ mastery of the relevant Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> “STAAR Online Quick Start” shows students how to navigate Rally! Education’s content and use its tools. The Quick Start introduces each of the program’s navigation features (e.g., previous and next buttons) and accommodation tools (e.g., audio reader, adjustable font size). Online tools allow students to highlight information, flag questions, eliminate answer choices they think are incorrect, take notes, save and/or pause their work, change font size, and access Help features. For math tests, students have access to get useful information, such as formulas and conversion charts. Student have access to an automated audio reader. For each content area and grade level, STAAR Rehearsal Plus provides two forms of a multiple-choice practice test formatted to reflect the grade’s and content area’s STAAR assessments. Teachers can use the program’s “Build Reports” feature to create Excel formatted documents that display test results for a class or group of students. Reports are color coded to indicate which students have demonstrated mastery of specific TEKS and their overall mastery of TEKS Reporting Categories and which students continue to struggle. About Rally! Education* RALLY! Education is a national educational publishing company that has been in business for 15 years. RALLY! focuses on developing standards-based instructional print and online materials written specifically for each state. We are passionate about education and want to produce high quality materials for schools and school districts. Our team of educators and professionals work diligently to understand the needs of every state and develop instructional print and online materials that easily fit within any classroom setting. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Rally! Education. Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Edmentum’s Study Island is a supplemental online product that helps students in grades K-12 master English language arts/reading (ELAR) standards and prepare for standardized exams. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades 3-6. Content supports teacher-guided instruction and independent study. Teachers may create their own lessons and assessments using online tools. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Study Island begins instruction at each grade level with a diagnostic test that assesses students’ vocabulary skills and ability to read and understand literary and informational texts. Instruction is presented in short text-based lessons for each topic (e.g., setting) followed by a set of “Sessions” with practice activities. Lessons emphasize preparation for standardized tests; questions are presented in a variety of formats, including multiple choice, short answer, and drop down menu selections Study Island has comprehensive monitoring resources that allow teachers to track student and class progress in multiple, easy-to-use and -understand formats. Reports track student usage and performance data, and enable comparisons between classes and state averages of other Study Island users. Teachers may monitor student performance by topic and standard and track performance trends, such as student time spent using resources. About Edmentum* At Edmentum, a single mission guides and inspires us as it defines our core purpose and the contribution we make to society: Founded in innovation, we are committed to being educators' most trusted partner in creating successful student outcomes everywhere learning occurs. To help us work toward that mission while operating business, our key values guide our priorities and are evident in everything we do. Edmentum’s powerful learning solutions blend technology with individual teaching approaches. We are committed to making it easier for educators to individualize learning for every student through simple technology, actionable data, quality content, and a passion for customer success. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Edmentum . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Amazon’s TenMarks Math is a comprehensive online product that supports mathematics instruction in grades K-12. Content addresses the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the California CCSS. TenMarks Math includes interactive whiteboard (IWB) lessons, inquiry-based learning games (i.e., “Labs”), practice assignments, and short video tutorials on specific concepts. Learning List recently reviewed of materials for kindergarten. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> TenMarks Math provides scaffolded teacher-led instruction and independent practice to help students master the CCSS at each grade level. Content is organized by grade level and CCSS domain (e.g., Counting & Cardinality) and includes direct instruction and independent student practice activities. Content is customizable and supports personalized learning, data-driven instruction, and intervention for struggling students. Colorful visual models of concepts and simulations of problem-solving strategies are used across instruction. Teaching notes have questions to guide students’ thinking and their answers, a discussion of common student misconceptions, strategies for differentiation, and activities to extend learning. Teaching notes may be printed. Teachers also have access to a “Concept Trajectory” tool that illustrates how prerequisite standards and the standards currently being taught relate to one another and scaffold learning About TenMarks* TenMarks, an Amazon company, provides solutions to personalize learning and help every student reach his or her potential. Created and led by educators and technologists, TenMarks has built Amazon's CoDIE award-winning math program (TenMarks Math) and an engaging solution to help find the writer in every student (TenMarks Writing). *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from TenMarks . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Rally! Education’s Texas STAAR Reading for Figure 19 is a supplemental product that supports reading instruction and preparation for Texas’ STAAR Reading exams in grades 3-8. Content is available in print format. At each grade level, instruction focuses on the relevant reading comprehension skills identified in Figure 19 of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English language arts and reading. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades 5-8 (i.e., Levels E-H). < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> At each grade level, STAAR Reading for Figure 19 presents content in eight lessons that are evenly divided between literary and informational texts. Each lesson focuses on a specific genre (e.g., biography, poem).  Instruction includes guidance in reading strategies and responding to practice multiple choice questions. A downloadable “Teacher Guide” is available at each grade level. The Teacher Guide contains answer keys for each lesson’s multiple-choice questions. Answer keys reference the TEKS addressed by each question, including whether the TEKS is a readiness or supporting standard. About Rally! Education RALLY! Education is a national educational publishing company that has been in business for 15 years. RALLY! focuses on developing standards-based instructional print and online materials written specifically for each state. We are passionate about education and want to produce high quality materials for schools and school districts. Our team of educators and professionals work diligently to understand the needs of every state and develop instructional print and online materials that easily fit within any classroom setting. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Rally! Education. Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Texas Region 4 Education Service Center’s STAAR™  Techniques to Engage Learners in Literacy and Academic Rigor (STELLAR) is a test preparation product that supports teachers in preparing students for English language arts and reading STAAR tests in grades 4-8 and high school end-of-course exams in English I-III. Learning List recently reviewed resources for English I and English II. Content is available in print format. Instruction incorporates thematic reading selections that reflect a variety of genres, application activities, and practice tests formatted to reflect the STAAR end-of-course exam. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> For each course, core content is organized in four thematic units (e.g., Family Values). Units contain multi-genre reading selections presented as thematically “Paired Passages.” The pairing of selections is designed to facilitate discussion and written student responses. Paragraphs are numbered, and many selections are formatted with space for student note taking.  Reading selections are followed by “Big Ideas and Key Questions” that help teachers facilitate discussions, model reading processes, and guide student thinking. Each STELLAR unit ends with a practice test designed to prepare students for the STAAR end-of-course exam. Practice tests contain multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions, and include items that address revising and editing. About Region 4 Education Service Center* Region 4 Education Service Center (Region 4) is one of 20 regional education service centers established by the Texas Legislature in 1967 to assist school districts and charter schools in improving efficiencies and student performance. Regional education service centers are non-regulatory, intermediate education units. Texas Education Code, Chapter 8, gives each school district the opportunity to voluntarily be served by and participate with a regional education service center. Region 4 serves a seven-county area comprised of 48 public school districts and 34 open-enrollment charter schools, representing more than 1.2 million students, 95,000 educators, and 1,500 campuses. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Region 4 . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Blue Duck Education’s Mangahigh is a supplemental online mathematics product that supports skills practice and test preparation in grades K-8 and Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and Precalculus high school courses. Learning List recently reviewed resources for grades K-8 and Algebra I. Content is formatted in math games that allow students to practice math skills. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Across grade levels, games address specific standards and skills, such as using frequency tables, adding fractions, or identifying points on a number line. Students earn points for correct answers and earn medals (i.e., gold, silver bronze) for accumulating points and improving their performance. Games are adaptive in the sense that questions become more challenging as students answer questions correctly, and less challenging as students answer incorrectly. Games are presented using two platforms: “Prodigi” and “Math Games.” Prodigi games are designed to familiarize students with Next Generation assessments and include questions in multiple choice, drag and drop, and true/false formats. Math Games reflect the style of arcade games in which the goal is to move characters or objects through or across an obstacle-laden course. For example, in an Algebra I Math Games, students must successfully factor quadratic equations in order to keep ships from sinking. Students earn points for each ship they save. About Mangahigh* Mangahigh.com is one of the world’s first Games-Based Learning sites, where students learn Mathematics via purpose-built casual games that balance fun and learning. Mangahigh was founded by an experienced team of mathematicians and game specialists who strive to balance game play and education. The educational content within Mangahigh is based on the core standards and is delivered through its proprietary educational games. Each game covers certain learning topics and is designed to dynamically adapt in difficulty to the ability of the student in order to make the user experience engaging, entertaining and personal. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Mangahigh . Subscribe to Learning List for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed EduSmart’s STAARSmart , which is a stand-alone, criterion-referenced test bank that supports formative and summative assessment and test preparation activities. Test bank items address the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for science at grades 3-8 and math at grades 3-5. Test banks are available online and allow teachers to create customized assessments that address specific TEKS. Test bank items for Biology will be added soon. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Test bank items contain STAAR release items and publisher-created questions formatted to reflect the STAAR exam. Items include tags that indicate the TEKS Readiness, Supporting, or Foundation standards and the Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (Levels 1-3) addressed by each question. Teachers may select pre-made test bank items and/or create their own questions using a variety of formats, including multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-bank, and matching. Instructional resources, such as tutorials, lessons, and review activities, are not provided. About EduSmart* EduSmart , developer of the EduSmart Science and EduSmart Math programs, is based in Austin, Texas. EduSmart provides standards-based digital teaching tools for the classroom that have been developed with a focus on the needs of the students and teachers. EduSmart programs’ research-based design and flexible format adapts easily to support all types of instructional models including direct instruction, cooperative learning, and inquiry-based instruction. *Information in the section is provided by or adapted from EduSmart . Subscribe to Learning List for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.

Learning List has reviewed NSF (National Science Foundation) C5 Project’s AP CSP Cyber Supplemental. This is a supplemental product that supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles (CSP) courses. Content is available online. Course resources are made up of downloadable PowerPoint lecture slides and downloadable lab activities and assessments in Word format. Instruction addresses the cybersecurity-related learning objectives and essential knowledge statements of the College Board’s course framework for AP Computer Science Principles. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> CSP Cyber Supplemental content is organized in seven modules that may be downloaded separately from the C5 site.  Modules address: (1) Applied Cryptography, (2) Secure Scripting, (3) Responsible Software Development, (4) Cybersecurity Principles, (5) Cybersecurity and Society, (6) Securing Risky Data, and (7) Cyber Threats and Countermeasures. Each module is made up of several units addressing related topics. Core content for each unit is presented in a PowerPoint presentation and a lab activity. For each module, teachers have an overview document that provides learning objectives, pacing information, and references to the AP Computer Science Principles big ideas, learning objectives, and essential knowledge statements addressed by instruction. *About the NSF C5 Project The C5 project is bringing together computer science faculty and cybersecurity educators to develop new course content that integrates the two disciplines. Created with the needs of our nation’s 1,100-plus community colleges in mind, C5’s contemporary cybersecurity content consists of modules that can be seamlessly incorporated into existing computing courses or bundled together to create an introductory cybersecurity-infused computer science course. The initial modules include but are not limited to applied cryptography, secure scripting, and responsible software development. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from the C5 Project . Subscribe to  Learning List  for access to the spec sheet, full editorial review and alignment reports for these materials and thousands of other widely used PreK-12 resources.