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Savvas Education’s Texas High School Math Series provides comprehensive Algebra 1 , Geometry , and Algebra II courses for Texas high schools. Each course features “3-Act Math” problems that develop students’ ability to use mathematics to understand and solve real-world problems. Courses are designed for use in blended learning environments and deliver most content digitally. Resources will be most effective in classrooms in which all students have Internet-enabled devices and teachers are comfortable teaching with technology. Although content is delivered primarily online, each course includes two printed student resources: the “Student Companion” and the “Student Text and Homework Helper.” The Student Companion is a journal to accompany digital classroom instruction and is available as an interactive, electronic workbook and as a printed consumable. The Student Text and Homework Helper is a reference resource available in print and eBook formats. It includes an “Unpacking the TEKS ” feature that presents each of the TEKS student expectations, underscoring key terms (e.g., justify); an explanation of the expectation in student-friendly language; and a completed example problem demonstrating mastery of the expectation. Although Learning List’s reviewers did not have access to digital content, the publisher’s materials indicate that online resources include interactive explorations, animations, math tools; a glossary with audio capabilities in English and Spanish; and “Virtual Nerd” video tutorials. Teacher editions are provided in two volumes and include comprehensive overviews of all teaching resources and assessments and detailed guidance in implementing each instructional activity with students. Teacher resources include background in math content, explanations of why students need to understand this content, and “Unpacking the TEKS” features that clarify what students need to know in order to master the TEKS content and process standards as well as the ELPS and College and Career Readiness standards. Each topic includes a pacing and differentiation guide. Guides provide strategies for English language learners, pre-Advanced Placement students, and each RtI tier. Point-of use resources include teaching notes, questioning guides, checks for student understanding, and answer keys. Click here to register for a demo for any one of these resources.

Earlier this year, we published a blog post that described how the funds for instructional materials in Texas flow from their source to local school districts. In that post, we explained that the instructional materials allotment (IMA) begins at the Permanent School Fund ( PSF )—a $30 billion endowment created expressly for the benefit of the public schools of Texas—and flows through the State Board of Education , the state legislature, and the Texas Education Agency before making its way to the local education agencies. Shortly before the beginning of each biennial legislative session, the State Board of Education (SBOE) determines the annual distribution rate (commonly referred to as the payout) from the PSF for each of the subsequent two budget years. The SBOE sets aside half of this distribution for instructional materials. This is the first step in the process that determines the amount of the IMA that each school district will receive for the purchase of instructional materials. On September 19, 2014, the SBOE voted to set the distribution rate at 3.5%. As a result, the annual payout from the PSF for the IMA for the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 school years could be as high as $500 million per year. To divide the total payout among all school districts, the commissioner of education has, in previous years, determined each district’s IMA allocation based on the percentage of the total student population served by the district. If the same rationale is used in the coming school years, a district that serves 1% of the total student population of Texas could receive $5 million (1% of $500 million) each year. Knowing the amount of its IMA allocation for upcoming years can help a district begin planning for its instructional materials purchases. However, in doing so, districts should be aware that the possible amount of the IMA for the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 school years suggested in this post is, at this point, only a projection . There are still several steps yet to be taken in the process that determines the actual amount of the IMA: the SBOE can decide to change the distribution rate at its November 2014 meeting; from (but not limited to) the payout set aside by the SBOE, the state legislature must appropriate the money for the IMA; and, from the amount appropriated, the commissioner of education must determine the per-student allotment for each district. The total amount of the IMA available to the commissioner and each district’s individual IMA allocation should be known shortly after the end of the legislative session in 2015.

Discovery Education’s Social Studies Techbooks are comprehensive, web-based social studies courses for middle school and high school students. Courses include World Geography and Cultures and United States History (Prehistory to Reconstruction) at the middle school level and United States History (Civil War to Present) at the high school level . Each course includes high-quality and engaging content provided by the Discovery Channel and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. Course resources support instruction in flipped classrooms and blended learning environments. Each course is inquiry-based and emphasizes the development of critical thinking and literacy skills, particularly skills in reading informational texts. Lessons focus on answering “essential questions” and are organized using the 5E Instructional Model (i.e., Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate). Core content is presented in Core Interactive Text (CIT) that includes photographs, illustrations, and multimedia features, such as interactive maps and embedded videos. Each CIT ends with discussion questions and checks for understanding. CITs, which may be printed, are available in Spanish and in two Lexile-based reading levels for students at or below grade-level. A brief video overview is available here . Elaborate activities require that students use social studies and critical thinking skills to develop products, such an argument for a debate, a presentation to Congress, or an analysis of a primary source document. Some Elaborate activities are presented in slide shows in which students investigate concepts using interactive tools (e.g., maps, timelines). Activities include printable guides for both teachers and students. Discovery Education’s “Board Builder” tool encourages students to take ownership of learning through the process of creating and sharing their own content. Using the Board Builder platform, students can create personalized “boards” that incorporate their own text, videos, and photos, as well as editable video and audio files from Discovery Education. Once approved by teachers, student boards may be shared with classmates or the larger community of Discovery Education users. Other resources include “Global Wrap” video summaries of the week’s most important new stories and an interactive atlas that displays a variety of data (e.g., population density, landforms) at the regional or global levels. Teacher resources for each lesson include links to relevant standards, learning objectives, and “Model Lessons.” Model lessons map a multi-day, 5E lesson cycle with suggested pacing and provide step-by-step guidance in implementing each activity. A companion teacher guide for the course is available in print format. Discovery Education’s Teacher Center provides additional resources, including interactive investigations, graphic organizers, outline maps, and additional video clips to support instruction. About Discovery Education : "Discovery Education offers a breadth and depth of digital media content that is immersive, engaging and brings the world into the classroom to give every student a chance to experience fascinating people, places, and events. All content is aligned to state standards, can be aligned to custom curriculum, and supports classroom instruction regardless of the technology platform."

Savvas Education’s Texas Social Studies Series provides comprehensive middle school and high school social studies courses in print and digital formats.  Courses support instruction in blended learning and flipped classroom environments and include U.S. History , World History , Economics , and U.S. Government at the high school level and Contemporary World Cultures , Texas History , and U.S. History at the middle school level.  Instruction in each course uses storytelling and project-based learning to engage students in social studies and to make content relevant. Click here for a video overview. Content is structured using a four-part model: (1) Connect, (2) Investigate, (3) Synthesize and (4) Demonstrate. “Connect” is a start-up activity focused on engaging students in learning. Core instruction is provide in “Investigate” activities that include narrative text, videos, and interactive maps and learning tools. “Synthesize” activities allow students to apply what they have learned. “Demonstrate” includes tests that provide customized remediation or enrichment and performance-based assessments. Courses include “My Story” videos provided by NBC Learn . My Story videos focus on the lives and experiences of individuals who lived in a particular historical period or geographic region.  Other course resources include “Flipped Videos,” “Interactive Reading Notepads” and “Interactive Primary Source Documents.” Flipped Videos may be used to flip instruction, provide remediation, or to support students who have been absent. The Interactive Reading Notepad identifies new vocabulary, clarifies learning objectives and provides comprehension questions to support the close reading of informational texts. The Primary Source Document resource includes interactive tools and prompts to help all students understand and analyze primary source materials. Teacher resources include comprehensive lesson plans with overviews of all print and online instructional materials. Lesson plans provide step-by-step guidance in implementing activities with students and point-of-use TEKS and ELPS, differentiation strategies, and professional development videos. Click here for a Savvas demo.

CORD Communications’ “Learning in Context” program for high school math instruction provides courses for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II in print and digital formats. Across courses, instruction focuses on providing the real-world context for learning mathematics and supporting students’ retention of content. Each course relies on the “Contextual Learning” instructional model which is built around five strategies abbreviated in the acronym REACT: Relating . Connect content to what students have previously learned Experiencing . Teacher-led instruction and hands-on learning experiences Applying . Solve real-world problems Cooperating . Collaborative learning activities Transferring . Application of skills to new situations and contexts Courses highlight the application of mathematics in STEM-based careers and include a feature titled “Why should I learn this?” that explains how math is used the workplace (e.g., Opticians use real numbers to classify the curvature of optical lenses).  Instruction includes “Math Application” activities that present multi-step, workplace-related problems. Courses also include lab activities in which students solve hands-on problems using graphing calculators and critical thinking skills. Teacher editions include pacing guides for blocks of 50-minute periods, strategies for implementing the REACT model, and guidance for in-class assignments and homework. Point-of-use resources include teaching notes, answer keys, and references to related content in ancillary materials. About CORD : CORD Communications serves the educational market by providing quality products and services designed to improve student achievement by integrating active learning into academic and career and technology classrooms.  CORD Communications strives to empower educators to implement contextual learning in the classroom. CORD Communications is affiliated with  CORD , the leading educational change agency, and accomplishes its purpose by marketing and disseminating programs developed by CORD and others .

McGraw-Hill Education’s Texas High School Math Series is a set of comprehensive courses for Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-calculus that includes print and digital resources.  Courses reference the TEKS throughout the instruction and focus on preparing students for end-of-course exams. Math Process Standards are integrated throughout the instructions and each course includes specific Response to Intervention (RtI) resources. Courses begin with a “Chapter 0” review of the knowledge and skills needed to be prepared for instruction. Subsequent chapters include a “Get Ready” feature that provides a quick check of prerequisite skills and knowledge, an overview of new vocabulary in English and Spanish, and instructions on how to use graphic organizers to support retention of content. Chapters include a mid-point quiz and end with a test preparation feature that includes a study guide, lesson-by-lesson review problems, sets of test-taking strategies, and a TEKS-formatted practice test. “Student Handbooks” provide extra practice problems, selected answers and solutions, a glossary, and reference materials, including formulas, measures, and mathematical symbols and properties. Online course resources include tutorials in key content, BrainPOP® animations of concepts, graphing software, and virtual manipulatives. Teacher editions include comprehensive correlations to the TEKS and ELPS and a “TEKS Skills Trace” feature that allows teachers to track students’ mastery of specific TEKS and preparation for end-of-course exams. Teacher editions provide background information in key content, RtI strategies, and guidance in teaching the math process standards. More information is available at the McGraw-Hill Education Texas site .

McGraw-Hill Education’s Texas Social Studies Series is a set of comprehensive social studies courses for middle school and high school students.  The series includes courses for each middle school grade, core high school instruction (i.e., world geography, world history, and U.S. history), and high school electives (e.g., sociology, psychology, economics).  This blog post addresses core middle school and high school courses only.  Learning List  has reviewed this series relative to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ( TEKS ). These courses include print and digital resources and support instruction in blended learning environments. Content is structured using Understanding by Design® (UBD) model, which frames instruction in terms of “Enduring Understandings” and “Essential Questions.”  Each course includes features to help students step into the place and/or time of study using period timelines, an interactive maps, illustrations and photographs, and quotes from primary sources. Lessons include videos, interactive games (e.g., The Voting Rights Matching Game), slide shows, and visual elements, such as photographs, charts, and graphs.  Students have access online libraries of “Skills Builder” and “Test Prep” resources. Skills Builder resources address geography, research, writing, and presentation skills and include links to college and career readiness development materials. The Test Prep library provides rubrics and resources to improve test-taking skills. Teacher resources include planning guides, comprehensive lesson plans, and support for implementing the UBD model, including clear statements of learning objectives, expected student outcomes, and connections to the TEKS. Teacher editions provide interactive whiteboard lessons, guidance for differentiating instruction and assessing student learning, and suggestions for videos, slide shows, and related readings to support content. Teachers have access to McGraw-Hill’s “Networks Resource Library,” which includes professional development videos, correlations to the TEKS and ELPS, and links to external resources. The Library also includes tools to support student learning, including Foldables® graphic organizers, a handbook for geography skills, additional primary source documents, and resources to develop 21st Century Skills (e.g., financial literacy). About McGraw-Hill Education: McGraw-Hill Education partners around the world with students, educators, administrators and other professionals to deliver engaging, adaptive and personalized solutions that improve performance and results.  They combine proven, research-based content with the best emerging digital technologies to guide assessment, teaching and learning.  McGraw-Hill Education employs more than 6,000 people in 44 countries and publishes in more than 60 languages.

Although the state of Texas has chosen not to adopt the Common Core State Standard s (CCSS) as the state’s K-12 English language arts and math standards, Texas school boards are, nevertheless, facing an ongoing struggle over the CCSS. In 2013, the Texas legislature passed a law, Texas Education Code §28.002(b) which prohibits: (1)   The State Board of Education from adopting the CCSS as the “essential knowledge and skills” for the State of Texas; (2)   School districts from teaching the CCSS as the essential knowledge and skills for any foundation or enrichment course; and (3)   School districts/charter schools from being required to teach the CCSS (as, for example, a condition of accepting federal or grant funding). “Common Core” resources are seeping into Texas classrooms, and some people allege that districts are breaking the law if their teachers use CCSS-aligned materials.  When asked whether it is illegal for Texas educators to use instructional materials aligned to the CCSS, the Texas Attorney General decided that as long as a resource aligns to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ( TEKS ) it is permissible for Texas school districts to use it, even if the material also aligns to the CCSS. Therefore, a district is not necessarily breaking the law just because its teachers are using materials that claim to be aligned to the CCSS. Why are Texas teachers using CCSS-aligned materials?  Publishers of K-12 instructional materials develop products to appeal to their largest potential market. In the past, California and Texas were the two largest potential markets for K-12 materials. However, the widespread adoption of the CCSS changed that calculation. Because more than 40 states have adopted the CCSS, the number of potential customers for CCSS-aligned materials far exceeds the number of districts that need TEKS-aligned materials. Therefore, many more publishers develop materials that address the CCSS than materials that address only the TEKS. CCSS-aligned materials may, however, also be aligned to other states’ standards, including the TEKS. The materials may address each state’s standards to a different degree and in different locations within the product. Therefore, to ensure that they are not violating the law against teaching the CCSS, it is critical that Texas educators ensure that the materials they use are aligned to the TEKS. How do districts accomplish this? (1)   Purchase state-adopted materials. The state has a rigorous process for validating that materials submitted for state adoption are aligned to TEKS. However, for a variety of reasons, many publishers choose not to submit their materials for state adoption. Texas law allows districts to purchase non-state-adopted materials and many choose to do that because non-adopted materials may meet their students’ needs better or may be less expensive than state-adopted materials. (2)   Districts can rely on the publisher’s alignment report to ensure that the products they use align to the TEKS. However, many educators evaluate alignment differently from publishers. (3)   Districts can require their teachers to verify the alignment of the materials the district is using. It takes between 8 and 10 hours to verify the TEKS alignment for one product in one grade level; 104 to 130 hours to do the same for one product that spans grades K-12. (4)   A low-cost, time-saving alternative is to subscribe to Learning List . Learning List features a detailed, independent TEKS alignment report for each state-adopted and non-adopted instructional material. Subscribing districts may access any completed alignment report and may request that Learning List develop a TEKS alignment report for the materials (in the four core subjects) that their district already uses. In this way, Learning List gives districts peace of mind that the materials their teachers are using are aligned to the TEKS and thus, that the district is in compliance with the law.

Big Ideas Learning ® provides comprehensive courses for Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra II in its Big Ideas Math® series for Texas high schools.  Courses integrate the Mathematical Process Standards throughout instruction and include support for English language learners and Response to Intervention at each tier. Instruction encourages students to think mathematically, justify their conclusions, and communicate their reasoning using precise language. Virtual samples are available here .  Learning List  has reviewed this series relative to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ( TEKS ). In each course, chapters begin with two short features: (1) a review of prior learning titled “Maintaining Mathematical Proficiency” and (2) a set of exercises focused on Texas’ Mathematical Process Standards. New concepts are framed by an “Essential Question” and include a brief set of “Explorations” exercises that help students make sense of what they are learning. Online resources include a “See the Big Idea” video that connects each chapter’s content to real-life STEM issues.  Each chapter has a TEKS-based practice test (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) and a performance task in which students apply new learning to a real-life problem. Big Ideas Learning provides a comprehensive correlation to the TEKS as well as point-of-use references to the relevant TEKS in each course’s teacher edition.  Teacher resources also include point-of-use pacing guides, answer keys, and guidance in differentiating instruction, designing interventions, and supporting ELLs. Print teacher editions reference the online resources that are available to support each lesson. Big Ideas Math® is a registered trademarks of Larson Texts, Inc.

Scientific Minds MC 2 in Agriculture is a supplemental video-based science resource for high school courses in agriscience and biology.   Learning List  has reviewed this relative to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills ( TEKS ). Content covers fundamental concepts in agriculture and supports instruction in the core content areas, particularly science and math. Lessons are presented in 30 short videos with accompanying worksheets and extension activities. Content addresses topics in soil, plant, and animal science and issues in environmental science (e.g., pollution and conservation of resources). Lessons are presented in short, narrated videos (8 to 10 minutes) that include images, animations, and brief sets of notes. Videos present core agricultural content aligned to national Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources (AFNR) standards and include an “Explore the Core” section that focuses on the core content areas and reviews SAT vocabulary. Each video lesson includes an accompanying worksheet that may be downloaded in PDF format. See the sample video on the right. Worksheets review video content and include cross-curricular activities specific to each of the core subject areas. Worksheets also include hands-on extension activities.  Some of these activities are quite detailed (e.g., retrieving ovum from the reproductive tract of a cow). Each Lesson also includes a multiple-choice quiz. Students with accounts may take quizzes online or quizzes may be downloaded for paper-and-pencil delivery. About Scientific Mind s: Scientific Minds ® , LLC is a publisher of technology-based science education products built from  state standards . Their product development is based on research proving that students absorb information best in small yet thought-provoking chunks. Their versatile, supplemental products will support any science curriculum.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Texas High School Math Series provides comprehensive Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II courses designed specifically for Texas students. Learning List has reviewed each course as submitted for state adoption in Texas.  The courses support instruction in blended learning environments and include videos, interactive tools, and adaptive software that customizes instruction based on individual student needs. Instruction combines Texas’ math content and process standards and includes performance-based assessments and opportunities for students to write about math concepts. Online content includes interactive problem sets, videos and tutorials, and the Personal Math Trainer (PMT), powered by Knewton™, through a Student Dashboard. Interactive problems provide students with immediate corrective feedback. Videos highlight the real-world applications of algebra, and video tutorials explain example problems. Lesson videos include scannable QR codes that enable students to access them on smartphones. The PMT is an adaptive practice, homework, and formative assessment tool that pinpoints students’ needs to deliver targeted remediation, extension, and enrichment in order to help them learn more efficiently and effectively. The PMT prescribes intervention activities based on individual student work and automatically grades assignments. Grades are reported on the teacher dashboard. Teacher resources include links to the TEKS , background in key content, questioning strategies, planning and pacing guides, and support for differentiating instruction and teaching struggling readers. Teachers have access to materials for English language learners, Response to Intervention, and advanced learners. Online professional development resources include teaching tips and videos in which master teachers model effective strategies in the classroom. About HMH:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is dedicated to providing forward-thinking solutions in educational innovation, content, and technology. W e help meet the needs of students and teachers preparing for the Texas assessment.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s (HMH) Texas Social Studies Series provides comprehensive core social studies courses for grades 6 through 11. Learning List  reviewed the course for each grade level as submitted for state adoption in Texas. Middle school courses include: Contemporary World Studies: People, Places, and Societies ; Texas History ; and United States History: Early Colonial Period Through Reconstruction. High school courses include: World Geography , World History , and The Americans: U.S. History Since 1877. Courses are available in print and online versions and may be downloaded as eReader files. Each course integrates literacy instruction and support for active reading with engaging social studies content. Courses focus on making historical events relevant to students’ lives through videos, interactive learning experiences, and features that help students see why content matters to them. Course videos are provided by History® . Content is organized around essential questions and includes frequent references to primary source documents. Instruction emphasizes the development of skills such as accessing and evaluating information, reading maps and graphs, and collaborating with others and each course includes specific resources to help students master the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills). A Spanish-language student edition is available for each middle school course and a Texas Guided Reading Workbook in Spanish and English is available for courses across grade levels. Courses include formative quizzes and summative chapter tests. Chapter tests are provided in multiple versions for students at different levels. Teachers also have access to the ExamView® Assessment Suite, which allows users to create customized tests in English and Spanish. Teacher editions include comprehensive alignments to the TEKS and the ELPS; planning guides; and support for introducing content, pre-teaching, and providing direct instruction. Online teacher resources include editable PowerPoints with interactive content and point-of use links to videos, maps, and primary sources. You can find more information at HMH Texas Social Studies website .