Literacy Curriculum Approval Process Notifications

 


July, 2022

K-2 and 3-6 Core Literacy Curriculum Approval List Submission 

Arkansas DESE has partnered with EdReports to support review of curriculum programs. To initiate a review of a program for potential placement in the Arkansas EdReports Catalog, please request for the program to be reviewed by EdReports here. Upon successful advancement through EdReports’ Gateways 1 & 2 in the review process, the K-2 Literacy Curriculum Programs will then be reviewed by DESE to determine if the program meets the Arkansas-specific criteria found here, in order to achieve placement in the Arkansas EdReports Catalog of approved literacy programs. For 3-6 Core Literacy, programs that successfully advance through EdReports’ Gateways 1 & 2 will be identified in the Arkansas EdReports Catalog.   

December, 2021

Background
The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) is working to ensure every student in Arkansas has equitable access to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), grade-level instruction, and responsive practices, leading to opportunities to reach college, career, and life goals.  As required by the Right to Read Act, Ark. Code Ann. § 6-174-429, the ADE has created the Arkansas Approved Literacy Curriculum List, a list of materials, resources, and curriculum programs that are supported by the science of reading.

Shifts in Process
To support local implementation of HQIM with focus and coherence, there is a shift in the literacy curriculum review process.  The ADE has partnered with EdReports to develop Arkansas-specific, robust review tools for comprehensive core programs.  EdReports is a leader in the field in reviewing instructional materials and training educator reviewers to conduct rigorous, unbiased reviews.  Using EdReports as a basis, the Arkansas review tools incorporate the use of Arkansas Academic Standards and Arkansas priorities, such as the Science of Reading.  These Arkansas-specific layers are applied over and above the EdReports criteria.  The ADE aims to support districts in identifying and adopting HQIM by using these tools to curate and highlight HQIM.  

The Arkansas Approved Literacy Curriculum List will highlight comprehensive core programs that provide sufficient support across the five components of reading.  Component-specific literacy programs approved in the initial cycles of review will remain on the approved list as a supplement to comprehensive programs for core instruction. 

In addition to changes related to core and supplemental programs, the ADE will provide guidance to districts about the local selection of resources supported by the science of reading; resources will not appear on subsequent iterations of the Arkansas Approved Literacy Curriculum List.

     

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