I’ve been an English language arts educator for three decades. I was one of the first educator reviewers to participate in an inaugural ELA review with EdReports in 2016. At the time, my hope was to dive deep into standards and curriculum and learn how to support teachers to use quality materials in the classroom. Since then, I’ve worked on reviews for three programs. That’s over three hundred hours spent training, learning, and working together with educators across the country! 

Over almost a decade of being a part of this incredible network, I have seen significant strides in EdReports’ review process and the supports offered. Feedback from fellow reviewers has been incorporated to ensure that the training we receive truly aligns to the tasks we face in conducting reviews. Review criteria and evidence guides have been improved with more examples and clearer guidance. Ongoing resources are continually put into place to ensure alignment on complex terms such as knowledge building. I feel heartened that EdReports has been willing to listen to us and improve the process. 

What has never waivered is how educators are leading the work of creating reports to help districts make the best decisions for their local communities. We take pride in what we’ve learned, striving to do right by students —whether they are ours or someone else’s. I’ve always said, if it’s not good enough for my own child, it’s not good enough for any and that’s how many of us think about the reviews. We want what is best for all children.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. I’d love to share more about how a report is created from start to finish and to highlight the voices of a wide range of educator reviewers who have worked so hard over the past decade to provide access to high-quality content. 


Educator-led teams develop review criteria and evidence guides

Educators deeply influence EdReports review process, which starts long before we evaluate even a page of instructional materials. Reviewers are content area experts, and work directly with experienced EdReports staff to help develop the review criteria and evidence guides that guide our process. 

Educator development teams draw on an extensive research base, analyze existing rubrics, and prioritize the criteria most important to teachers who use instructional materials daily. Incorporating insights from a national learning tour of content experts and educators, these teams create rubrics and evidence guides. This collaborative process, which involves including the voices of expert practitioners and teachers in the field, is central to EdReports approach.


EdReports recruits and trains a powerful network of qualified educators

In the past decade, over 900 educator reviewers with a thousands of collective years of experience have joined EdReports review teams. Even with the high bar the organization sets for the educators they recruit, in-depth and ongoing training is a hallmark of the EdReports review process. 

The training is rigorous and entails diving deep into college-and career-ready standards, other elements of quality such as teacher and student supports. I’ve experienced this training myself, and it’s a big part of the reason I’ve been able to support Kentucky school districts through the process of choosing an ELA curriculum.

Educators from every content area have noted the breadth and depth of EdReports’ reviewer training and how it impacted, not only their approach to the reviews, but their instructional practice overall. 

High school science reviewer, Katie MIller said, “The support I am able to offer teachers about what to include in science classrooms and science content is directly connected to my own learning as a reviewer.”

Math reviewer Jonathan Regino noted how transformational EdReports reviewer training was for him. He said, “Because of the training, I walked away with a wealth of knowledge that I immediately got to use with my districts.”

K–5 ELA reviewer Tammy Macy reflected on how the content of EdReports trainings prepared her to be a reviewer and left her with resources she could apply throughout her many years as a teacher. She said, “I could have never imagined how much becoming a reviewer would shape my practice. The deep dive into college and career-ready standards as well as the depth of the EdReports review process gave me the tools to identify what’s quality and what’s not.” 


Educator-led teams conduct thorough reviews

Training doesn’t end once reviewing a program begins. EdReports staff continues to offer support, resources, and learning in conjunction with the review process.

Middle school science reviewer Therese Arsenault detailed how EdReports staff provided ongoing support during the review., “We received research-based readings, detailed training videos with examples, and hands-on practice with materials, breaking everything into manageable parts. It was an eye-opening experience that deepened our understanding of the curriculum.”

In weekly meetings, educator teams discuss their individual findings for each indicator and work together to reach consensus on the score ultimately included in the report. Final reports are the result of multiple educators analyzing every single page of the materials, calibrating all findings, and reaching a unified conclusion.


Shaping the future of instructional materials 

As educators, we share deep feelings of pride about the reports we help produce. Reviewers highlight the importance of providing independent, comprehensive information about the quality of instructional materials because we as educators know the power this information can have in classrooms across the country. 

High school mathematics reviewer Leah Dix said, “I really enjoy being able to say that these reports are a reliable source that districts and teachers can use—that they’re by educators like me and for educators like me. I feel good that I’m contributing toward that process of helping ensure that our kids are getting grade-level, high-quality curriculum in front of them.” 

While creating reports is time consuming and involves continuous learning, the hours are well spent because of the impact each of us is able to see. Reviewer Katie Miller perhaps said it best, “That’s what I’m most proud of when I think about all the hours that went into just one review of high school science materials—knowing that my fellow educators and I are part of a process that will make a difference for students now and in the future.”