There’s a growing body of research finding that instructional materials can have as large an impact on student outcomes as teacher quality or reduced class size. Developing a process for the selection and implementation of quality instructional materials is more important than ever with the growing number of available resources for both core courses and supplemental materials.
High quality digital instructional materials go beyond the digital textbook to include video, audio, animation, simulations, and interactive applications that are aligned to standards, address educational goals and are accessible for all students.
States with an instructional materials adoption process can be a resource for districts, which can be especially valuable in smaller districts that may lack the human capacity to conduct extensive reviews of materials. Effective planning is essential when selecting quality instructional materials aligned to standards, whether your state adopts resources as a service to districts or your district conducts the adoption process.