In 2016, EdReports published its first round of reviews for English language arts (ELA) instructional materials for grades 3–8 . A year later, we launched reviews for K–2 and high school curricula. In 2018, we delved into the supplementals market by publishing reviews of K–2 foundational skills programs. Over the course of a few short years, the quality of ELA materials have improved significantly as a result of educators better understanding what quality looks like and demanding improvements. Today, educators have more high-quality materials to choose from than ever before.
However, despite the increased availability of aligned materials, the majority of students across the country still have limited access to the ELA content necessary to prepare them for college and careers.
This Data Snapshot focuses on:
- The availability of quality K–12 English language arts programs and how regularly these materials are used.
- The extent to which materials provide culturally relevant content and support a diversity of student needs, including those of multilingual learners.
- ELA teacher perceptions of their materials, what they prioritize in the content they are using, and how their materials measure up to those expectations.
- Important factors that influence the use of quality materials, such as ongoing access to curriculum-aligned professional development.
This study draws upon data from EdReports reviews, copyright dates, and data from the RAND Corporation American Instructional Resources Surveys (AIRS) on curriculum use, teacher perceptions, and school context. In addition, these specific ELA analyses draw on trends and research from across the curriculum marketplace published in the State of the Instructional Materials Market 2021: The Availability and Use of Aligned Materials.
