June 25, 2012
Dear Participating Publishers of Reading/Language Arts/English Language Development Instructional Materials:
SAMPLING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE 2012 SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS REVIEW
This bulletin serves to provide publishers participating in the Supplemental Instructional Materials Review (SIMR) process with recipient addresses and instructions for the delivery of their instructional materials samples. Sampling lists for publishers of mathematics materials will be sent immediately following the mathematics SIMR training on June 28-29, 2012.
All information related to the SIMR project, including past publisher bulletins, is posted on the California Department of Education (CDE) SIMR Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/suptsupmatreview.asp.
Recipient List
A list of the recipients designated to receive samples of your instructional materials is enclosed with this bulletin as Attachment 1. The list of recipients includes the reviewers selected to review your materials, the CDE, and Learning Resources Display Centers (LRDCs) that have requested your instructional materials. Phone numbers are provided for shipping purposes only.
Note that the review panels only receive the programs that are assigned to that panel. If you have multiple programs under submission, then the attachments will include the reviewer address lists for every panel that had at least one of your programs assigned to it. The CDE and identified LRDCs receive all programs that your company is submitting for the SIMR review.
Sampling Requirements
The deadlines for receipt of the supplemental instructional materials are as follows. An extra week has been added to give publishers additional time to deliver their samples, but publishers are still encouraged to send their materials as soon as possible after the reviewer training.
- English Language Arts: July 6, 2012
- Mathematics: July 13, 2012
- A complete copy of their supplemental instructional materials. We encourage you to submit samples in digital format. Publishers submitting for Category 1 will also need to provide copies of the teacher editions (TE)/student editions (SE) (the former only, if the TE is a wraparound edition that contains the SE content) from their basic program, along with any other materials from their basic program that are referenced on the Category 1 standards maps.
- Short Description: Publishers should include with the distributed materials a copy of the narrative program description that was included in their submission information package. This description must be no longer than three pages in length.
- An inventory list of all components: Publishers should provide a list of all components in a submitted program, including the title and ISBN (or other identifying number). This can be a printout of the digital submission list that was provided in May.
- Standards Maps: Publishers should provide completed Standards Maps in digital form and in hard copy for each submission. These documents must be completed with citations by publishers showing where their program meets the content outlined in the appropriate subject area content standards. For Category 1 submissions, these maps were developed by publishers in conjunction with the CDE during the review of the publisher maps of their state-adopted programs. For Category 2 submissions, the maps are posted on the CDE SIMR Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/suptsupmatreview.asp. All standards identified in those maps must be met for a program to be eligible for recommendation.
In April, publishers were provided a Publisher Requirements for Submission document that contained more information about mailing, packaging, and labeling requirements for publisher instructional materials samples. If you need another copy of this document, it is posted on the CDE SIMR Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/subrequirementshandout.doc.
All materials should be in final form; that is, a form that will be offered for purchase to school districts, unless approval for “less-than-final form” was obtained, in writing, from the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division prior to the shipping of materials. Materials for distribution must not be tabbed, highlighted, labeled, etc., in any way, save for the identification labels as indicated in the Publisher Requirements for Submission document, with the exception of items approved for “less-than-final form” as noted above. These items should be clearly labeled “less-than-final form.”
Multiple Copies of the Same Item
If you have multiple versions of your materials in different formats (e.g., a digital and hardbound edition), you only need to sample one set if the content of those materials is otherwise identical. In those cases we recommend that you sample the digital format. Also, please do not include alternate editions provided in another language.
If your program includes games or other manipulative materials; for example, a game of phonics bingo which includes sufficient materials for 20 students to play the game at a time, please send only enough materials for one student at each grade level. Reviewers need to be able to review all activities described in the program. You will need to provide an inventory list of all such materials shipped so that the reviewer can easily identify the items.
If you package items in groups; for example, placement tests in packages of 25, send only one copy of the test to each reviewer.
Publisher Instructions for Deliberations
Reviewer deliberations will be held at county offices of education (COEs) that have contracted with the CDE. The deliberations of the panels reviewing English language arts materials will be held at the San Joaquin COE on September 20–22, 2012, while the deliberations of the panels reviewing mathematics materials will be held at the Orange COE on September 27–29, 2012. All meetings will be open to the public, and we encourage publisher representatives to attend. Public comment will be scheduled for each day of meetings, and at the deliberations in September, members of the public (including publisher representatives) will have the opportunity to provide comment at least twice each day.
Publishers have two options for providing their materials to the deliberations sites. The preferred option will be for publishers to arrange to deliver and set up their materials in the rooms reserved for deliberations by the panel(s) assigned to deliberate that publisher’s programs.
We understand, however, that not all publishers will be able to personally attend the deliberations, or have the logistical wherewithal to set up their materials. Therefore, the publisher may also elect to mail their materials to the COE prior to deliberations.
Detailed instructions for both options will be sent to publishers in another bulletin prior to deliberations.
Questions and Contact Information
A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) specific to publishers has been posted on the CDE SIMR Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/publisherfaqsd.asp. This FAQ has been updated several times to reflect the most recent information related to this review.
If you have any questions regarding this bulletin, please contact Kenneth McDonald, Lead Consultant, Curriculum Frameworks Unit, by phone at 916-319-0447 or by e-mail at kmcdonal@cde.ca.gov. You may also contact David Almquist, Publisher Liaison, Instructional Resources Unit, by phone at 916-319-0444 or by e-mail at dalmquis@cde.ca.gov. CDE staff members are happy to talk with publishers who have questions about the supplemental instructional materials review process.
Sincerely,
Thomas Adams, Director
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
TA:km
Attachments
Michael Kirst, President, State Board of Education
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814