There is quite a bit of uncertainty out there about the newly established Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process and its impact on Texas schools. Educators know that whichever curriculum they select needs to meet TEKs and ELPS standards, but will it meet their teaching needs and the unique needs of their students?
In brief, IMRA is the result of House Bill 1605 (HB 1605), legislation that aims to provide learners with the best resources for their classrooms. IMRA is the review process behind that aim.
At Accelerate Learning, we know how important educator autonomy is in the classroom. You know your students and their learning needs best. Our goal is to ensure that everything we offer is aligned with that goal while meeting state standards.
You can have both. Let’s get into the details.
The main goal of IMRA isn’t to make it more difficult for teachers to teach. It’s to ensure that teachers have access to the best materials out there for their content area. HQIM must meet a set of criteria defined by IMRA that include evidence-based best practices, full coverage of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and support for all learners.
For students, this means materials are engaging, interactive, accessible, and comprehensive. For teachers, this can mean less time spent on planning and preparing lessons. There is less guesswork that materials are aligned with best practices or state standards.
Learn more about IMRA, including frequently asked questions by Texas educators, in our detailed guide below.
STEMscopes Texas Math was designed for 100% TEKS and ELPS (English Language Proficiency Standards) alignment. We used state standards as our starting point to ensure an end result that met standards for content competency and rigor.
Teacher Guides list relevant TEKS for each lesson explicitly, so teachers don’t have to worry about missing a standard within each sequence.
This is a fully customized curriculum that addresses challenges in math classrooms around meeting rigorous state standards while retaining engagement.
As we move through the IMRA process — we’re currently on schedule for final review this coming fall — we have no doubt that our curriculum meets HQIM criteria.
We know our curriculum meets this moment of rigor and adherence to state standards, but you shouldn’t just take our word for it.
Here’s a breakdown of the criteria for HQIM and where we fit in:
On top of these criteria, all materials must be free from factual errors, meet physical and electronic specifications, refrain from harmful content, and ensure parent access.
That all said, a curriculum can only go so far without the support and knowledge of educators who know their classrooms best.
View Full Custom Texas Math Alignment in Our Comprehensive Program Guide
Our roots are in Texas. STEMscopes Math was built for Texas teachers with the goal of improving access to STEM education for all students in a more effective way. We take that same approach to our curriculum.
We refine and adjust our curriculum in light of current research on the best way to reach students. We make improvements based on data, teacher feedback, and changes to state standards.
We’re constantly adapting just as educators do to make math accessible for all Texas students.
That doesn’t mean teachers have no room to adapt our curriculum as necessary to fit the diverse needs of their classrooms. We built STEMscopes Texas Math to be flexible and responsive to those needs. Teachers can choose resources that reach their students and match their teaching styles.
This empowers teachers to meet state standards while retaining the autonomy and creativity that make teaching so rewarding. At the end of the day, STEMscopes Math is built to get students to math proficiency in an engaging way. It’s still up to the teachers to use the curriculum in the way that fits their classroom needs.
Our goal isn’t just to make sure our curriculum meets state criteria for high-quality instructional materials. We want our teachers to know that we’ve put in the work to give them options as they access STEMscopes Math. That means an abundance of support and resources that go above and beyond the IMRA process while maintaining TEKS and ELPS standard alignment.
Here’s what we mean:
Math anxiety is a real obstacle in the classroom. This goes beyond disliking math. Some students may have negative experiences in previous grade levels or don’t feel a connection to the content. This can lead to a drop in self-confidence, disengagement, and a lack of motivation to achieve in math.
At STEMscopes Math, our mission is to introduce students to a different type of math through hands-on learning, engaging activities, and real-world connections. We show students that math matters in their day-to-day. Most importantly, we show them that math can be fun, even as they’re asked to persevere through challenging concepts.
“One fourth grade teacher came to me and told me about a puzzle her students were working on in STEMscopes Math. At first she wasn’t sure about it, but her kids enjoyed it and it really helped their understanding of things like parts to the whole and decimals to fractions. She said, ‘They’re having so much fun. This makes teaching fun again.’ For teachers to be able to facilitate those types of activities and see their students engaged while they’re learning — that has won over our teachers. They’re seeing the benefits, and they can see from the data that it’s working.” - Instructional Coach, Brownsboro ISD, TX
Read more about Brownsboro ISD's success story here.
We do all of this with teacher needs in mind. In the current moment, that means high-quality instructional materials that are TEKS- and ELPS standard-aligned AND engaging to students. That last piece is so important. Students won’t progress until they see that what they’re doing matters.
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