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

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

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

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

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

Learning List has reviewed Edvantage Interactive’s AP Chemistry 1 and AP Chemistry 2. The combined products comprise a comprehensive resource that supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry courses. Content is available in print format with additional digital learning tools. Instruction addresses the College Board’s course framework for AP Chemistry with an emphasis on real-world problem solving linked to contemporary problems (e.g., buffering agents in over the counter medications). Content for AP Chemistry 1 and AP Chemistry 2 is organized in student worktexts for each chapter and accompanying “Online Study Guide” resources. AP Chemistry 1 is made up of nine chapters that cover the skills and processes of chemistry, matter, the mole, chemical change, chemical relationships and patterns, solution chemistry, gases, and organic chemistry. AP Chemistry 2 is made up of seven chapters that address reaction kinetics, chemical equilibrium, thermodynamics, solubility equilibrium, acid-base equilibrium, applications of acid-base reactions, and oxidation-reduction and its applications. Online Study Guide resources for each chapter include the “Traffic Light Study Guide,” “Study Notes,” “Video Solutions,” printable answer keys, and quizzes. The Traffic Light Study Guide is a printable student self-assessment tool. Study Notes are downloadable PowerPoint notes for each chapter section. Video Solutions provide step-by-step explanations of the solutions to problems. About Edvantage Interactive* AP Chemistry 1 and AP Chemistry 2 by Edvantage Interactive are designed to support the AP Chemistry student succeed in the course. Developed by teachers with proven success in teaching AP Chemistry and senior year Chemistry, the program combines the best of a textbook at the price of a workbook. Edvantage Interactive prints digitally so there is the opportunity to add up to 50 pages of teacher created content to the book and the cover image can also be changed to reflect the school, community or chemistry program at no additional charge. *Information in the section is provided by or adapted from Edvantage Interactive . 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.

CPM Educational Program’s Calculus is a comprehensive single-variable calculus text that supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC courses. Resources are available in print and eBook formats. Learning List recently reviewed eBook materials for AP Calculus AB and BC.  Reviewers found the College Board’s big ideas, enduring understandings, and essential knowledge for AP Calculus AB and BC to be well addressed in course resources. Reviewers said that the course covers these concepts effectively in a rigorous, non-traditional format that requires students to investigate and connect new concepts and strategies. CPM’s Calculus non-traditional approach to presenting content does not include some familiar features of a mathematics text, such as an instructional narrative and example problems with step-by-step solutions. Instead, instruction emphasizes “Study Teams” made up of two to four students who work together to discover strategies and solutions. Teams work together to answer questions, justify their reasoning, and identify multiple solution strategies. The teachers’ role is to encourage students’ teamwork, facilitate discussions, and provide support when teams encounter questions they are unable to answer. Learning List’s reviewers noted that CPM’s inquiry-based approach to instruction facilitates the integration of the College Board’s Mathematical Practices for AP Calculus (MPACs), explaining that students use the MPACs each day in their work in Study Teams. Teacher resources include background and strategies (e.g., Math Chat) to support the implementation of Study Teams. Many lessons also include recorded podcasts, or “Mathcasts,” in which an expert teacher walks users through the lesson providing background information and suggesting teaching strategies. A “Teacher Support” appendix provides information about the course’s interactive math tools, links to each Mathcast video, printable resources for some lessons (e.g., polar graph paper), professional development information, SmartBoard files for each chapter, CPM Newsletters, and errata files. About CPM* CPM began as a grant-funded mathematics project in 1989 to write textbooks to help students understand mathematics and support teachers who use these materials. CPM Educational Program is now a nonprofit educational consortium of middle and high school teachers and university professors that offers a complete mathematics program for grades 6 through 12 (Calculus) designed to engage all students in learning mathematics through problem solving, reasoning, and communication. CPM’s Mission: CPM’s mission is to empower mathematics students and teachers through exemplary curriculum, professional development, and leadership. We recognize and foster teacher expertise and leadership in mathematics education. We engage all students in learning mathematics through problem solving, reasoning, and communication. CPM’s Vision: CPM envisions a world where mathematics is viewed as intriguing and useful, and is appreciated by all; where powerful mathematical thinking is an essential, universal, and desirable trait; and where people are empowered by mathematical problem-solving and reasoning to solve the world’s problems. *The content in this section is provided by or adapted from CPM. Subscribe to Learning List for access to full editorial reviews, alignment reports and spec sheets.

Is your district looking for materials to support writing skills? Take a look at Learning List’s reviews of the free version of NoRedInk. NoRedInk is a supplemental, fully digital English language arts program for students in grades 4-12. The program provides a free version and a subscription-based version. Learning List recently reviewed the free version of the program. The material focuses on developing students’ writing skills, and includes practice exercises, scaffolded writing activities, and assessments. The design of the program allows teachers can customize assignments, and students complete the work that teachers assign to them through the program. They receive immediate feedback and have access to brief tutorials and reteaching. The program is provided in English and is designed to support blended learning or a flipped classroom. Some, but not all, of the source texts required to respond to the writing prompts are included. Read Learning List’s Editorial Review to learn more about the ways in which NoRedInk supports the specific learning needs of students. Learning List has also completed a standard-by-standard review of the alignment of the material to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and a review of the product’s technology compatibility. To access these reviews, contact Learning List for subscription information. About NoRedInk* NoRedInk’s mission is “to unlock every writer’s potential.” The company is “committed to helping students learn and helping teachers do their jobs better.” NoRedInk’s leadership team is comprised of educators, engineers, designers, and advocates. NoRedInk provides high-interest content, authentic assessments, blended learning, adaptive technology, and unlimited practice in a comprehensive curriculum. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from NoRedInk .

Is your district offering African American Studies? Take a look at Learning List’s review of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s African American History. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s African American History is a comprehensive program designed to support the Texas high school African American Studies course. Content is available in print and digital formats, and is intended to support a semester-long course. The materials are available in English. Online resources are housed in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Ed: Your Friend in Learning platform. The material focuses on providing resources to support students as they explore a historically-based representation of the role of African Americans in the development and history of the United States. Numerous resources support analysis of both primary and secondary sources. Student learning is extended through additional projects and ideas for enrichment. Substantial resources for instruction in blended learning environments are included on the Ed platform. Teachers can make assignments and monitor student progress through the platform. Read Learning List’s Editorial Review to learn more about the ways in which Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s African American History supports the specific learning needs of students. Learning List has also completed a standard-by-standard review of the alignment of the material to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and a review of the product’s technology compatibility. To access these reviews, 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 your health teachers asking for new resources? Take a look at Learning List’s review of McGraw Hill’s Glencoe Health McGraw Hill’s Glencoe Health is a comprehensive program to support health instruction in high school. The product is available in English and Spanish, in both print and digital formats. The material intends to enable students to practice making healthy, informed decisions while learning important concepts and skills about their health. Throughout the program, students have numerous opportunities to develop critical thinking and decision-making skills and are consistently encouraged to talk to a parent or trusted adults about health matters. Materials to support instruction about sexual health and wellness are included within the core instruction The material provides instruction through video- and text-based content. Teachers can customize assessments and assignments, as well as grade assignments and provide students with feedback from within the platform. Students can submit most assignments online. Read Learning List’s Editorial Review to learn more about the ways in which Glencoe Health supports the specific learning needs of students. Learning List has also completed a standard-by-standard review of the alignment of the material to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and a review of the product’s technology compatibility. To access these reviews, 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 .

Questioning has a significant impact on critical thinking and student learning.  In the article, “ Questioning in the Classroom: An Updated Guide ,” Terry Heick outlines the strengths and weaknesses of questions. Good questions:   Encourage further inquiry and learning Reveal subtleties in students’ understanding Promote personalized learning (Heick, 2022). Whereas, weak questions “imply answers, which imply stopping points and ‘finishing’ over inquiry and wisdom.” We have all have been in classrooms where questions are asked and then answered one right after the other, leaving no think time or opportunity for follow-up. According to Jackie Acree Walsh, noted author and speaker, quality questions have four characteristics: Connect to content , Are purposeful , Are at varied and appropriate cognitive levels Are clear and concise (Walsh et al., 2018). Effective questioning takes planning on the part of the teacher with careful consideration of the instructional purpose, content, and goals of the lesson. Thoughtful scaffolding of questions during lessons enables teachers to gauge student learning and provides opportunities for feedback. “Questions are the pulse of any critical thinking classroom” (Heick, 2018). We often think of questioning techniques in a purely pedagogical sense. However, instructional materials influence the types of questions teachers use. What types of questions do your instructional materials encourage? A mismatch between the instructional material’s approach to questioning and the district or campus philosophy could be a barrier to reaching instructional goals for two reasons. First, inexperienced teachers often rely on questions provided by their materials. Second, an inconsistency between the type of questions asked in the classroom versus the types of questions assigned as homework in the instructional material may inhibit development of critical thinking skills.  In our reviews of instructional materials, we have noted a great variation in the approach to questioning, from materials that focus on closed questions to materials that provide mostly open-ended questions. How well do your materials support critical thinking through questioning? Consider the following: Are there a variety of question types supporting scaffolding and differentiation? Do questions align to the instructional purpose and content of instruction? Do questions represent thinking across Bloom’s Taxonomy or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge? Are there open-ended questions with multiple possible answers? Are there opportunities for students to reflect on their strategies? Are there opportunities provided for student-generated questions? Do the teacher materials provide guidance regarding questioning, student discussions, or strategies such as think-pair-share to engage all learners? Selecting instructional materials that align with campus or district goals for instruction support quality instruction and learning. Next time you are selecting instructional materials, consider reviewing the material’s questions adding as an indicator of quality. Reference articles: Heick, T. (2018, March 2) What is the Purpose of a Question , TeachThought. https://www.teachthought.com/learning/what-is-the-purpose-of-a-question/ Heick, T. (2020, November 3). An Updated Guide to Questioning in The Classroom . TeachThought. https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/questioning-guide/ Heick, T. (2022, May 17). The Difference Between a Good Question and a Bad Question , TeachThought. https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/the-difference-between-a-good-question-and-a-bad-question/ Walsh, J.A., Sattes, B.D., Quality Questioning: Research-Based Practices to Engage Every Learner, 2 nd ed., (2016). The Main Idea (2018). https://vpaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/principal_resources/Quality_Questioning_.pdf Walsh, J. A., Sattes, B. D., Quality Questioning: Research-Based Practices to Engage Every Learner, 2 nd . Ed. , The Main Idea (2018).   https://vpaonline.org/wpcontent/uploads/principal_resources/Quality_Questioning_.pdf

Repurposing your existing materials for tutoring has several advantages: it saves the district money, and it saves students and teachers the stress of having to become familiar with a new material. The challenge in repurposing your materials for tutoring is identifying suitable content that you have not already used.  Learning List's alignment reports and Alignment Comparison tool make it easy to identify content in your current  materials that you can use for tutoring. However, here are three steps for accomplishing this task  without our tools . (1) Determine which of your  existing  materials are aligned to the standards students are struggling with. Using the publisher's correlation documents, make a grid with (a) the standards your students are struggling with listed vertically down the page, and (b) the titles of the materials you have for the grade level/subject listed horizontally across the top of the page. Identify which of your existing materials addresses each of the standards your student(s) are struggling with. ( 2) Make a list of citations from those materials that you can use to reteach each standard: Using the grid and the publisher's correlation for each material, identify three of four citations (lessons, activities, quizzes) in each material that you can use to reteach the standards students are struggling with. Make sure that students have not already seen the lessons, activities, quizzes you are listing. Also consider whether the material has the adaptions your student(s) need. (3) Check the alignment of those citations before using them for tutoring . In order for students to learn the knowledge and skills they are lacking, the citations used for tutoring must be aligned to the standards being retaught. We often find that publishers correlation documents include citations that are only partially aligned to the standards. Therefore, before using the citations you have listed for tutoring, check to make sure that they teach all of the knowledge and skills the standard requires students to know. This can be a time-consuming process. However, once you have completed it, you can use the grid and list of citations to deliver targeted, effective tutoring for as many students as need it. Contact us if you need guidance.