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According to a recent article published on  PBS Newshour , 90 percent of districts in Common Core states said that developing or identifying Common Core curricular materials has posed a challenge. Yet even when instructional materials can be identified, how do districts know what the alignment percentages may be across grade levels? Alignment percentages can vary greatly from grade level to grade level - independent of the standard  < CCSS =">CCSS" (Common="(Common" Core="Core" State="State" Standards),  TEKS=">TEKS" (Texas="(Texas" Essential="Essential" Knowledge="Knowledge" and="and" Skills),="Skills),"  etc.=" etc."> and instructional materials subjects being reviewed . Here are a few examples: Bottom line : Do not assume that the alignment percentage at one grade level is representative of the product’s alignment at all grade levels, or even at all grade levels within a single grade span. Learning List helps identify alignment percentage differences across grade levels and can assist you in selecting supplemental materials that can Fill-in-the-Gap™. Solution:  If your district is going to purchase multi-grade level material, look at the alignment of the material at each grade level . If the material is not consistently aligned, check why. Does the product not attempt to align to a particular domain/strand (i.e., it only addresses information text)? Did the product not align well to a particular domain/strand? If the answer is “yes” to either of these questions, it will be easy to supplement with another material that specializes in the non-aligned domain/strand. However, there simply may not be a logical pattern of non-alignment from grade-level to grade-level. To effectively prepare your students to master the standards, your teachers must know which standards the material is or is not aligned to in each grade level so that they can adjust their instructional strategies accordingly.

Learning List has reviewed Sirius Education Solutions’ Grade 8 Science: STAAR Review and Preparation WorkText. This supplemental, consumable print resource prepares eighth grade students for the STAAR science exam. Instruction reviews the tested science TEKS , including content from grades 6 and 7, and develops students’ test taking skills. The WorkText includes four units that address (1) matter and energy; (2) force, motion, and energy; (3) earth and space; and (4) organisms and environments. Each unit begins with a short diagnostic test, a review of previously learned vocabulary, a preview of new terms, and “Get Ready” question that frames content. Chapters begin by providing the full text of the relevant TEKS followed by student-friendly explanations of each standard. The instructional narrative is written simply and will be readable for most middle school students. New vocabulary is highlighted and defined in context and in a glossary. Content includes visual elements, such as illustrations, diagrams, and photographs, to support understanding. Items from the diagnostic test are revisited when the applicable content is addressed in the chapter. The discussion of test items identifies the correct answer and explains why other responses are incorrect. Each chapter ends with a set of STAAR practice questions. Units end with sets of review activities, a graphic organizer, and a post-test. Review materials include a checklist of the key concepts and vocabulary needed to master each of the TEKS. Each unit includes a diagnostic test and a post-test formatted to reflect the STAAR exam. The WorkText also includes a comprehensive “Mixed Readiness” review formatted to reflect the STAAR test.

First, why is alignment so important ? Teachers rely on their instructional materials for 80 percent of their curriculum. They expect that the materials the district purchases will be aligned to 100% of the standards. If the material is not aligned to the depth and rigor of each standard, and the teacher is not aware of the material’s deficits, he/she will not supplement with additional products or adjust his/her instructional strategies to ensure that the students fully learn all of the standards. If students are not taught the knowledge and skills required by the state’s standards, they will not do well academically. Here's a snapshot of a few instructional materials that show the contrast between the "Publisher Submitted Alignment Percentage" vs. the  "Learning List Alignment Percentage" for the TEKS standards (Texas Education Knowledge and Skills) for ELA/R (English Language Arts and Reading) and Math across various grade levels: Similarly, here's a snapshot of a few instructional materials that show the contrast between the "Publisher Submitted Alignment Percentage" vs. the  "Learning List Alignment Percentage" for the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for ELA/R and Math across various grade levels: Bottom line : the alignment of your district’s instructional materials will inevitably impact your students’ scores, which in turn, will impact your teachers’ evaluations and campus and district accountability ratings. Solution : Have two or three teachers carefully check the citations in the publisher’s correlation to make sure that the citations listed are aligned to the content, context and cognitive demand of each standard. Why more than one teacher ? Determining alignment is an inherently subjective endeavor; having a few teachers work together to check the material’s alignment is necessary to reduce the subjectivity of alignment determinations. At Learning List , three and sometimes four subject matter experts (experienced teachers certified in the grade and subject of the products they review) check the alignment of each instructional material. On average, we spend about 14 hours reviewing the alignment of each instructional material featured on Learning List. Support your teachers and students’ success by ensuring that the materials you purchase (either individually or in the aggregate) are truly aligned to 100% of the standards in each grade and subject.

TASBO 2015 is here. Learn what every District should know about purchasing instructional materials: how to stretch your budget $ by optimizing your ROI and how to avoid the most common mistakes in the selection process so that educators can choose and use instructional materials more effectively. Join  Learning List at the  TASBO Conference in Houston (Feb. 17-19) at the: Session on Thurs., Feb. 19th at 12:00 – 12:30PM, Room 352C of the George Brown Convention Center and Exhibit Hall booth # 1616.

In today’s EdWeek , Catherine Gewertz discusses how some states have relaxed their control over instructional materials and are providing districts with more freedom in choosing their classroom resources. Increasingly, states are stepping away from textbook adoption processes in which state-appointed panels review instructional materials and provide lists of state “approved” resources from which districts were required to purchase. The increased freedom in selecting instructional materials has been a reason to celebrate in many districts. But administrators are quick to acknowledge that the new freedom comes with some challenges, particularly as so many new instructional materials designed to address the Common Core State Standards flood the market. With less state guidance on what to choose and more instructional materials to choose from, districts bear a greater burden to ensure the materials they select are aligned to standards and appropriate for students. This is a time-consuming task and requires resources that many districts do not have. Learning List’s mission is to help districts choose and then use high-quality, standards-aligned materials. For each product, Learning List features three types of independent reviews: (1) Learning List's alignment reports verify the citations listed in the publisher's correlation from the educator's perspective. The reports show whether and where the material addresses the content, context, and cognitive demand of each standard; (2) Our research-based editorial reviews assess the material's instructional content and design to help educators understand whether the product will meet their students and teachers' needs; and, (3) Educators can rate and review the products to explain how the materials affected teaching and learning in their classrooms. In the aggregate, Learning List’s reviews provide districts with the information they need to ensure that a product is aligned to standards and contains the features and functionality that their students’ need. The detailed alignment reports also help educators integrate the instructional materials into their curriculum more effectively.  Our service saves districts time and money and provides the documentation required to certify that instructional materials meet state standards.

Caveat Emptor … a Latin phrase meaning, “Buyer Beware.” For centuries buyers have been held to a standard of due diligence; do your homework before you buy or suffer the consequences. Purchasing instructional materials is the single largest annual purchase a school district typically makes. To put it in context: school districts spend more on instructional materials annually than you paid for your house. A purchase that large certainly merits careful due diligence. Traditionally, reviewing instructional materials before the district makes its selection decisions has been delegated to overworked district staff who review the available materials at vendor fairs, in their “spare” time at school and at home, and during interminable selection committee meetings. Furthermore, the task of reviewing and comparing instructional materials has become increasingly difficult in a rapidly evolving marketplace. In a series of blog posts, we will explain some of the key mistakes we see districts making when it comes to purchasing instructional materials and some suggested solutions. Mistake #1: Sooner is better. I often hear districts rushing to complete their instructional materials selections process by early February or even early March. Some do so believing that the law requires boards to approve materials by March or April. There is no law in Texas requiring districts to approve local adoptions by any particular time . Districts are free to purchase materials whenever they need them. The state’s EMAT ordering system is available to districts starting in April of each year. Other states may impose a deadline for purchasing materials, but most states now give districts local control over when and what they purchase. If you purchase early in the season, you likely are purchasing based on publishers’ promises. New-to-market products typically are not completed until a few months before they are to be delivered. Publishers who submit their materials for state adoption may submit the content of their materials for review, even though the product’s features and functionality have not yet been developed. Many more publishers do not submit materials for state adoption because their products are not ready in time for the adoption process. While publishers may intend to develop all of the functionality promised, impediments may arise at the 11 th hour to prevent the final product from containing all of the promised features. _____________________________________________________________________________ Bottom line : purchasing incomplete materials sets you up for disappointment and limits your choices. Solution : To be an informed consumer, you should wait until products are fully developed and physically review the entire complete products before making your purchasing decisions. Waiting until spring (March – May) to make your selection decisions will likely result in less disappointment and more products to choose from. _____________________________________________________________________________ For more information about how to avoid other mistakes made in selecting instructional materials, join Learning List at the  TASBO Conference in Houston (Feb. 17-19) at the: Session on Thurs., Feb. 19th at 12:00 - 12:30PM, Room 352C of the George Brown Convention Center and Exhibit Hall booth # 1616.

The New York State Education Department provides a comprehensive set of free open-educational resources (OERs) to support the transition to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The downloadable materials, known as EngageNY , provide lesson plans in mathematics for students in grades PK-12. Across grade levels, instruction focuses on exploring fewer topics in greater depth. This post discusses EngageNY’s elementary products. Subsequent posts will examine resources for middle school and high school. Learning List has recently published reviews of K-5 OER materials. At the elementary grades, EngageNY develops students’ ability to solve problems using basic operations with whole numbers and fractions. At grades K-2, instruction focuses on addition and subtraction of whole numbers, and at grades 3-5, instruction focuses on multiplication and division of whole numbers and fractions (see Grade 5 video example). Content is organized using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines, which structures instruction by providing multiple means of engaging students, representing content, and expressing and acting upon learning. Further, lesson plans strive to meet the rigor of the CCSSs by balancing conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and the practical application of mathematics to real-world problems. To achieve this goal, EngageNY lessons are presented in four-parts: Fluency Practice includes activities that develop proficiency, connect to prior learning, and preview new concepts. Concept Development provides core instruction in new concepts and skills. Application Problems allow students to practice using problem sets that are related to the instruction provided in the Concept Development portion of the lesson. Student Debrief provides opportunities for students to discuss and share what they have learned. Debriefs close with an “exit ticket” –a short formative assessment of the day’s learning as students leave the classroom. The Mathematical Practice Standards (MPS) are integrated throughout EngageNY lessons at grades K-5, and teacher resources include comprehensive support to help teachers adapt to the new standards and integrate the practices in instruction. Each lesson addresses one or more MPS and lesson plans highlight how the standards are incorporated in the day’s instruction. Across grades, lesson plans provide opportunities for students to model with mathematics (MP 4), focus on precision (MP 6), make sense of problems (MP 1), and reason mathematically (MP 2). Lessons provide opportunities for students to use mathematical tools (MP 5) and make use of structure (MP 7). Student debriefing sessions provide daily opportunities for students to express their reasoning (MP 8) and construct arguments and critique the reasoning of others (MP3).

Teacher Created Materials’ Exploring Social Studies: Texas Edition is a supplemental social studies resource for students in grades K-5 available in print and digital formats. Courses are inquiry-based and focus on the use of primary sources. Social studies content is combined with literacy instruction and may be integrated into English language arts and reading blocks. Learning List has recently completed and published reviews for this social studies series. At each grade level, Exploring Social Studies develops vocabulary and literacy skills using texts that address social studies content and incorporate primary source materials, such as maps, photographs, letters, newspapers, and historical documents. Most instruction is presented using leveled readers that present age-appropriate text at varying levels of complexity. Leveled readers include vivid illustrations and are available in print, PDF, eBook, and Word formats. Courses also include Primary Source Photo Cards, Reader’s Theater Scripts, Vocabulary Concept Cards, and a Culminating Activity for each grade level. Primary Source Photo Cards present images of primary sources on one side and student activities on the other. Vocabulary Concepts Cards (grade K) present an image on one side and a mini-lesson about the image on the other. Reader’s Theater Scripts (grades 1-5) allow students to dramatize historical events (e.g., immigrants arriving at Ellis Island). Culminating Activities are collaborative projects that draw on what students have learned throughout the year and include rubrics to help students evaluate their work. Courses include blackline masters of graphic organizers, worksheets, quizzes, and assessments. More information about the social studies resources is available in this brochure .

Recently, Texas Commissioner of Education , Michael Williams advised districts: Texas school districts are no longer required to set aside 20 percent of their Title I federal dollars to provide Supplemental Educational Services (SES) for students at low-performing campuses. A district is now free to use those funds on academic intervention programs it deems most effective for its students. Learning List’s detailed alignment reports help districts easily identify supplemental products that will meet their students’ academic needs. Our detailed alignment reports verify the publisher’s correlation, identifying multiple citations (e.g., pages, lessons, videos, etc...) that are aligned to each student expectation and the citations in the publisher’s correlation that Learning List found not to be aligned. Moreover, for each non-aligned citation, Learning List’s alignment reports include a comment explaining the part of the student expectation (i.e., the content, context, or cognitive demand) the citation did not address. If a school/district’s test scores across a class/grade level/subject show a pattern of low performance, the district’s IM – or the teacher’s use of the IM -- may be the cause. Here’s how: STEP 1: Are the district’s materials aligned to that (those) standard(s)? Learning List’s alignment reports show whether the district’s IM is aligned to each student expectation. If the materials are not aligned to the standards the students missed on the test and the teachers did not know the material was not aligned, students likely were not taught the knowledge and skills required by that (those) standard(s). STEP 2: Even if the materials are aligned to that/those standard(s), are there some citations in the publisher’s correlation that are not aligned to the standard(s)? In many cases, Learning List’s alignment report reveals that some of the citations listed in the publishers’ correlation are aligned to a student expectation and others are not. If teachers were assigning the citations that are not aligned to the standard(s) the students missed on the test, students likely were not taught the knowledge and skills required by that (those) standard(s). Moreover, if the district’s IM are not aligned to 100% of the TEKS standards in a grade/subject, Learning List’s “Fill-in-the-Gap” tool identifies other materials, both comprehensive and supplemental (including open education resources) that address the remaining standards. As State Board of Education member Pat Hardy commented, “ Learning List helps districts use their instructional materials instructionally .” Though Texas school districts must no longer set aside 20% of their Title I funding for SES, districts still have a legal and moral obligation to help all students learn what the standards require. Learning List helps districts choose and then also use their instructional materials effectively to help teachers teach and students learn what the State requires them to know and be able to do. Please click here to request a webinar or more information. TEA=">TEA" website .="website .">

Have you ever purchased instructional materials that your teachers ultimately don’t use? You’re not alone. On average, districts purchase over $500,000 of instructional materials that sit unused on closet or warehouse shelves. Instructional materials are generally a district’s largest annual purchase. Learn how to maximize your district’s ROI on IM purchases.  Presenters will discuss common mistakes in the purchasing process, key criteria for assessing instructional materials and the essential questions to ask publishers before you buy. See the postcard below for more details about how to meet Learning List at: 1) Don't Make a Million Dollar Mistake! (Session on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2:15-3:15PM in Convention Center Level C, Room 10C) and 2) Exhibit Booth #209 (see floor plan below)

Think Through Math (TTM) is a supplemental, online mathematics program for grades 3-8 and Algebra I. Resources support self-paced instruction in remediation and intervention programs. Across grade levels, TTM’s adaptive software adjusts content to meet individual learning needs, provides immediate corrective feedback, and motivates students through a system of extrinsic rewards. Instruction incorporates multiple representations of concepts (i.e., visual, numeric, and verbal) and includes resources to support students at each Response to Intervention (RtI) tier. Learning List reviews for these materials are now published through our service. TTM is meant to supplement core math programs; lessons do not provide direct instruction in key concepts. At the start of each year, each student takes a placement test to assess learning gaps. Based on assessment results, students are prescribed an individualized “learning path” or sequence of lessons. TTM lessons are made up of six components. Most lessons begin with a (1) a Pre-Quiz and (2) a Warm-Up. The Pre-Quiz assesses students’ knowledge of the topic and the Warm-Up is a short game or set of multiple-choice questions that introduces the topic and links to prior knowledge. Core instruction is provided in (3) Guided Learning and (4) Problem-Solving activities. Guided Learning introduces concepts through example problems and guiding questions. Problem-Solving activities frame a five-step solution process that includes analyzing, planning, solving, justifying, and evaluating. In the (5) Practice section of the lesson, students work independently on practice problems. Lessons end with (6) a Post-Quiz over content. Extrinsic rewards are central to TTM’s approach to instruction, and the program provides rewards in the form of points, badges, and contests. Across lesson activities, students earn points when they arrive at the correct answer. Students may use points to purchase items to customize their TTM avatar (e.g., hairstyles, accessories, clothes). Points may be pooled to purchase classroom pizza parties (500,000 points=$50 gift card to a pizza venue) or donated to a charity (10,000 points=$1 donation). Students also earn badges for achieving certain milestones, such as answering a question correctly on the first try, and have the opportunity to participate in TTM contests (e.g., students who pass 30 lessons qualify for a drawing to win a $200 Amazon gift card). Educators who have used the TTM program with students said in interviews that points were an effective motivational tool. However, they underscored the importance of teacher monitoring, noting that students could game the system in order to earn points.

WorldView Software provides a set of comprehensive, online social studies courses for use with middle school and high school students. Course resources support instruction in self-paced educational programs and may be used to supplement instruction for students in need of remediation or credit recovery. Courses do not include print materials, although some online content may be downloaded as PDFs. Learning List has recently completed editorial reviews for the following TEKS -based instructional materials, some of which are state-adopted. For students in grade 8, WorldView provides Basic American History I , which covers the historical period spanning the arrival of the first native people in North America to Reconstruction. High school courses include: World Geography: An Interactive Approach : An exploration of each of the world’s major regions that considers how geography shapes the economies and cultures of the countries in each region. World History A : A one-semester survey course covering the Neolithic period, early civilizations, medieval monarchies, the nation states of Europe, the development of Japan, the Ming Dynasty in China, and the Ages of Exploration and Revolution. World History B : A follow up, second-semester course that begins by examining the effects of nationalism on Western Europe and surveys recent world history through the Cold War and the post-World War II changes felt in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Basic American History II: Post Civil War : An examination of the historical period spanning Westward expansion through the Obama presidency. Economics: An Interactive Approach : A course that introduces students to key concepts in economics, including scarcity, economic theories, supply and demand, the business cycle, and the role of the consumer. U.S. Government: An Interactive Approach : A course that covers the branches of American government and includes chapters on political culture, political parties, campaigns and voting, and state and local government. For each course, content is presented in chapters, but may be reorganized by activity type (e.g., Case Studies, Maps, Tutorials) or by social studies themes (e.g., civics, globalization, immigration). Each chapter begins with a short introductory overview that includes a computerized audio reader to support struggling readers and ELLs. Chapters include case studies, primary source documents, and essay prompts. Case studies provide in-depth coverage of important figures and key events and include short-answer questions. Primary source documents have a short introduction that provides the context for the document and information about its author(s) and are followed by document-based questions. Essay prompts are provided in two formats: Guided and Non-guided. Guided prompts provide support in for writing a five-paragraph essay, including hints about main ideas and example paragraphs. Non-guided prompts do not include supports. Each chapter includes a glossary; links to related artwork, maps, and graphs; opportunities to conduct projects and Internet research; and multiple choice questions to support test preparation.