Selection and Use of Instructional Resources/Materials
Educators have more options than ever from which to find instructional resources designed to meet their local priorities and student needs; however, in such a crowded marketplace, finding
high-quality instructional resources (HQIRs) that are aligned to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) and meet specific school and district needs can be challenging.
State law assigns districts the authority to develop the local curriculum based on language found in
Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 160.345. Upon the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 1 (2022), the authority to determine instructional materials was transferred from the school-based decision making (SBDM) council to the local superintendent. Specifically, per KRS 160.345(2)(g), “the local superintendent shall determine which curriculum, textbooks, instructional materials, and student support services shall be provided in the school after consulting with the local board of education, the school principal, and the school council and after a reasonable review and response period for stakeholders in accordance with local board of education policy."
Per the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)
Model Curriculum Framework and the instructional resources Consumer Guides, EdReports.org is a recommended starting point for district and school review teams to research available evidence-based materials. EdReports provides free reviews of K-12 instructional resources and offers comprehensive information about indicators of quality, including standards alignment and usability, from a number of publishers. Superintendents and district review teams can be assured that the green-rated resources identified by EdReports have at least 80% alignment to the Kentucky Academic Standards.
Using the green-rated resources from EdReports and feedback from the Quality Curriculum Taskforce, KDE developed a list of approved Tier 1 core comprehensive high-quality instructional resources for English/language arts and mathematics. A core comprehensive instructional resource is one that serves as the primary means of instruction in a content area for a grade level or course.
Each approved list is provided below and includes all resources that meet the required criteria. The lists will be updated as green-rated resources are added to EdReports.org. Historically approved resources will not be removed, but rather, the KDE will add newly reviewed resources that meet the criteria and earn a green rating. Local HQIR coordinators will be notified when resources are added to the lists, and communications will be shared via KDE media outlets.
While all vendors on the approved list meet the KDE standards for high-quality instructional resources, districts and schools should carefully review materials to determine which HQIR best meets the local instructional vision and the needs of the teachers and students in the district.
If a district is interested in adopting a resource that does not appear on KDE’s approved list and is unrated by EdReports or is not currently green-rated, the district has a greater burden to curate:
(2) the research-basis demonstrating external validity and reliability.
The resource selection and accompanying evidence basis will need to be shared as an off-list notification, per KRS 156.445, to
kdetextbooks@education.ky.gov.
The district also must monitor implementation results of the off-list resource to determine its impact on student learning at the local level. Please note: This notification is required for off-list Tier 1 core comprehensive resources only, not supplemental resources.
Historically resources were adopted in cycles established by the State Textbook Commission. However, the State Textbook Commission (STC) has not met since 2015 due to insufficient funding. KRS 156.400(3) establishes, “The chief state school officer may delay the purchase of books due to insufficient funds…”. Moreover, state-level vendor contracts and adoption cycles for materials are not currently applicable as superintendents now have the authority to develop curriculum and select all instructional resources across districts per KRS 160.345. Therefore, districts should consider resource adoptions based on statutory requirements, academic standards review cycles, local needs assessments, student data, and local contractual timelines.
HQIR Adoption Support Webinar Recording and PowerPoint Now Available
Per amendments to KRS 158.305 as part of Senate Bill 156 (2023), by July 1, 2024, “each superintendent … shall adopt a common comprehensive reading program that is determined by the department to be reliable, valid and aligned to reading and writing standards …for kindergarten through grade three (3) for all schools or a subset of schools, with consultation of all affected elementary school councils.”
To assist districts in effectively selecting an approved Tier 1 comprehensive reading program so that the resource adopted ultimately leads to high-quality instruction and improved student outcomes, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) offered a one-hour High-Quality Adoption Support webinar on Monday, Nov. 20, a recording of which is now available along with the accompanying PowerPoint.
The webinar highlighted key tools to support local adoption of a high-quality instruction resource (HQIR) including:
Developing an instructional vision to help drive the selection process;
Utilizing a four-step process to support identifying, evaluating and selecting an HQIR;
Providing an overview of how to navigate EdReports; and
Intentionally engaging stakeholders throughout the process.
HQIR Coordinator Convenings
For information about Curriculum-Based Professional Learning and Kentucky Numeracy Counts, please view the recording of the spring 2025 HQIR Coordinator Convening.
Spring 2025 HQIR Coordinator Conventing PowerPoint Slides
For information about curriculum implementation, the HQIR District Coordinator Hub, Read to Succeed and Kentucky Numeracy Counts, please view the recording of the fall 2024 HQIR Coordinator Convening.
Fall 2024 HQIR Coordinator Convening PowerPoint Slides
For information about the HQIR District Coordinator Hub and the Science Instructional Resources Consumer Guide, please view the recording of the spring 2024 HQIR Coordinator Convening.
Spring 2024 HQIR Coordinator Convening PowerPoint Slides
For more information about why HQIRs matter, the relationship between Read to Succeed (SB 9, 2022) and HQIRs, and the HQIR voluntary survey and local HQIR Dashboard, please view the recording of the 2023 HQIR Coordinator Convening.
Fall 2023 HQIR Coordinator Convening PowerPoint Slides
Digital Learning Guidelines
Furthermore, the KDE Digital Learning Team designed the Kentucky Digital Learning Guidelines as guidance for schools, districts, and digital providers when selecting or creating developmentally appropriate digital learning resources for instruction, as well as online and blended learning courses in Kentucky schools.
Digital learning resources, as well as online and digital learning courses used in Kentucky, must align explicitly to the Kentucky Academic Standards appropriate for each course, be endorsed by a highly qualified content teacher, and follow established Kentucky statutes and regulations for selection and purchase as specified in KRS 156.395-476 and 704 KAR 3:455.
* Basal: one that serves as the primary means of instruction in a content area for a grade level or course.