The State Board of Education today adopted a list of 405 science, math and technical application instructional materials, 303 of which state review panels determined to be 100 percent aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The remaining 102 state-adopted products are aligned with between 50 and 100 percent of the TEKS. Pearson’s Biology and Houghton Mifflin’s Environmental Systems materials were conditionally adopted, pending reconciliation of alleged factual errors. By subject, the state-adopted list contains:
- 93 Grades K-8 math products;
- 20 Grades K-5 Spanish math products;
- 221 Grades K-12 science products;
- 65 Grades K-5 Spanish science products; and,
- 22 Grades K-12 technology application products.
Within each subject, the State Board adopted on average:
- 8 math products per grade in grades K-5;
- 15 math products per grade in grades 6-8;
- 17 science products per grade in grades K-5;
- 23 science products per grade in grades 6-8;
- 5 IPC, 13 Physics, 18 Chemistry, and 9 Biology state-adopted products, as well as a few products in various other high school science courses;
- 2 technology application products per grade for K-8 as well as in the adopted high school courses;
In most grade levels, a couple of state-adopted products are available in both print, blended and/or digital formats. All others are unique products. Districts must now review the available instructional materials to determine which (1) best meet students’ needs, (2) can be implemented effectively given the district’s technical infrastructure, and (3) reflect the community’s values. An article in the January 2014 edition of TxASCD’s Leaders of Learners will highlight specific, researched-based criteria districts should consider during their review of instructional materials.
Learning List is a new service available to assist districts with the challenge of reviewing so many instructional materials. Like a type of Consumer Reports/Angie’s List for K-12 instructional materials and online courses, LearningList.com features three types of reviews for each product: (1) an independent alignment to the TEKS; (2) an editorial review that highlights the types of information to help educators determine which products are best suited to meet their students’ needs; and (3) subscriber ratings and reviews. Tools on LearningList.com promote a collaborative selection process among district employees and help the district document compliance with the “100 Percent Rule”. Beyond the selection process, the alignment reports on LearningList.com help teachers develop TEKS-aligned lesson plans for each reviewed instructional material. Contact info@LearningList.com to learn more about this new service.