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High-Quality Instructional Materials

Teacher in a classroom with students


A growing body of research points to the positive impact high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) can have on student learning. TEA defines full-subject high-quality materials as those that ensure full coverage of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), align with research-based instructional strategies in each subject area, and support all learners.    

What are Full-Subject HQIM? 

HQIM are curricular resources that: 

  • Ensure full coverage of TEKS
  • Are aligned to evidence-based best practices in the relevant content areas of reading language arts (RLA), math, science, and social studies
  • Support all learners, including students with disabilities, English Learners, and students identified as gifted and talented 
  • Enable frequent progress monitoring through embedded and aligned assessments
  • Include implementation supports for teachers
  • Provide teacher and student-facing lesson-level materials

Why are HQIM Important? 

HQIM allow students to engage more deeply and meaningfully with the Texas standards and supports teachers in ensuring all students have access to high-quality and rigorous grade-level content. Student outcomes improve when they have greater access to: 

  • Grade-appropriate assignments 
  • Strong instruction 
  • Deep engagement; and 
  • Teachers with high expectations 

HQIM provides teachers with a foundational resource that ensures all students will have access to rigorous, grade-level content.

The Relationship Between HQIM and OER

HQIM will be defined by the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process set up by House Bill (HB) 1605. All materials will require official review in the IMRA process by the State Board of Education (SBOE) to be approved as HQIM.

Open Education Resources (OER) are materials where the underlying intellectual property can be used freely. Texas OER developed by TEA are materials where the state either owns the underlying intellectual property or it can be freely used and modified by the state in perpetuity.

Current pilot materials meet the working definition of HQIM, and in the future all Texas OER materials, if approved by the SBOE, will be defined as HQIM under the IMRA process. 

Phonics Curriculum

 

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