2014 Mathematics Adoption Publisher FAQs

Publisher Frequently Asked Questions

1. Will this adoption process review and consider for adoption accelerated components which allow students to accelerate to Algebra I and Mathematics I at eighth grade?

   Yes, if they are part of a submitted program.

2. Should the readiness assessment noted in Criterion 3.7 focus only on accelerating students or include students in eighth grade who are at grade level to assess their readiness for higher mathematics courses?

   Criterion 3.7 states, “Assessment tools for grades six through eight help to determine student readiness for Algebra 1 and Mathematics 1.” Middle school programs must include readiness assessments that determine whether a student is ready for Algebra 1 or Integrated Math 1. In grades seven or eight this might be an assessment to determine if they are ready to progress to those courses; in grade six it might be an assessment to determine if they are ready for an accelerated path to the higher mathematics courses.

3. How should the publishers cite the eight Mathematical Practice Standards since they are to be embedded through each grade level?

   Publishers should cite exemplars of each of the Mathematical Practice Standards at each grade level allowing the reviewer to conclude they are present and fully covered.

4. Will publishers define the path of acceleration or will the California Department of Education (CDE) or State Board of Education (SBE) provide definitions of accelerated middle school courses?

   Each publisher will determine an accelerated pathway that blends with their submitted program. However, Appendix A provides one example that publishers may wish to follow.

5. What are the criteria to qualify as a “small publisher” for the purposes of submitting a fee reduction request for the 2014 Mathematics Primary Adoption?

   Pursuant to Education Code (EC) Section 60209(e)(2), “For purposes of this section, "small publisher" and "small manufacturer" mean an independently owned or operated publisher or manufacturer that is not dominant in its field of operation and that, together with its affiliates, has 100 or fewer employees, and has average annual gross receipts of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) or less over the previous three years.”

6. Must publishers include the text of the standards in instructional materials submitted for this review?

   Yes. Publishers are required to include the complete text of the Common Core State Standards, including the mathematical practice standards, in the teacher and student components of their program (Criteria category 2, criteria statements 1 and 7). They must be reproduced in their entirety as approved by the SBE at its January 16, 2013, meeting. The text of standards must not be abridged, rewritten, or changed in any way. However, for instructional purposes, publishers may use bold face type or color to highlight certain words in the standards at the point of instruction pursuant to the CDE’s copyright policy (see U.S. Code, Title 17 [17 U.S.C.], sections 101-103, 106).” There is no requirement on where exactly the standards must appear.

7. Must submitted programs explicitly address the new English language development standards in the submitted materials?

   No. However, pursuant to EC Section 60204(b)(1) and Criterion 2 in Category 4 of the evaluation criteria, programs must include strategies that are consistent with the new English Language Developlment standards in their instructional materials.

8. Will criteria categories 2 through 6 be evaluated as a whole or will each sub-criterion in those categories be evaluated separately?

   Each category will be evaluated holistically; however, there must be strengths in each of categories 2 through 6 to be suitable for adoption.

9. What is the relationship of the Draft Mathematics Framework to the 2014 Mathematics Primary Adoption?

   As noted in the front matter of the Criteria, the draft Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools is another supportive and advisory document that is available for publishers and producers of instructional materials that defines the depth of instruction necessary to support the focus, coherence, and rigor of the standards.

10. What is meant by K–8 programs? Can we submit a K–3 program or a 7–8 program? Must they be K–8?

    There are three types of programs that are appropriate for submission to the 2014 Mathematics Primary Adoption process: Mathematics Basic Grade Level Program (K–8); Algebra I; and Mathematics I (Integrated). Any complete grade-level program in kindergarten through grade eight that covers one or more grade levels may be submitted. For example, it would be appropriate to submit a program covering the standards in grades K–3, grades 3–5, or grades 6–8.

11. If the electronic files for our materials have already been submitted to the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), does that meet the electronic file submission requirement?

    Yes. This would meet the EC Section 60061(a)(7) requirement that publishers must provide to the state, at no cost, computer files or other electronic versions of each state-adopted literary title and the right to transcribe, reproduce, modify, and distribute the material in braille, large print if the publisher does not offer a large print edition, recordings, American Sign Language videos for the deaf, or other specialized accessible media exclusively for use by pupils with visual disabilities or other disabilities that prevent use of standard instructional materials.

12. How do we post our student materials online if they contain copyrighted images?

    Publishers may either conceal or omit copyrighted images with a notation that the image is available in the print materials. In addition, publishers may note that materials are posted for review purposes only.

13. How long must the student materials be available online?

    Student materials must be available online until the completion of the adoption process, which will be when the SBE takes action in March 2014.

14. Can we password protect our online student materials?

    No. It is the intent of this requirement to ensure that the general public has an opportunity to review and comment on instructional materials submitted for adoption.

15. What exactly counts as “student materials” for the requirement that those materials be posted online for review?

    The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, (5 CCR) Section 9523, states that publishers shall post “those instructional materials intended for student use” and provide the CDE with a URL to where those materials are available online. This requirement would include items such as student editions, consumable workbooks, and the like. An item that is primarily intended for the teacher or is not provided to the student as part of the normal course of instruction does not need to be posted. Similarly, answer keys and solution sets for student materials do not need to be posted.

16. Do all materials (core and ancillary) need to be submitted by July 5, 2103?

    Yes. All components of the complete program must be submitted for review by July 5, 2013. Any materials submitted after that date will not be reviewed.

17. If our materials are incomplete at the July 5, 2013, deadline, may we submit them anyway and submit the complete materials when they are available?

    No. Publishers will not be permitted to submit new content after the July 5, 2013 submission deadline.

18. Our digital program does not have page numbers. May we use the unit and lesson numbers as citations on the standards maps?

    The publisher should include citations that will enable the reviewer to easily locate the pertinent information to conclude that a particular standard is fully addressed in the program. Publishers are not limited to only citing page numbers.

19. May our primary citations on the standards maps refer to ancillary components or must they are refer only to the student and teacher editions?

    Primary citations should direct the reviewer to evidence that a standard is fully covered in the materials. This may include any of the materials identified as being a component of the program.

20. If a program is Web-based, do we need to supply the reviewer with hardware or is a password sufficient?

    Publishers may, but are not required to, provide a laptop or other hardware needed to access the digital components of their submitted instructional materials program. Publishers of programs with a large digital component may want to submit a laptop or other device with their program preinstalled to avoid potential technical issues with the review of their materials. Note that unlike regular samples, which may be kept by the reviewer, any computer hardware must be returned to the publisher once the review is complete. The publisher must make arrangements for and pay the cost of returning the hardware.

21. How many criteria maps must be completed?

    You must complete one criteria map for each program submitted. It is important that your citations make clear to the reviewer that the criteria are fully addressed for any grade level; therefore, you should cite how each criteria statement is addressed at multiple grade levels.

22. How many standards maps must be completed?

    You must complete a standards map for each grade level or course submitted.

23. Is there any requirement for a Publisher to post a Bond in order to participate, or after being approved for adoption?

    No.

24. Textbook Depository: Is there any requirement for a Publisher to use a Textbook Depository, and/or have a minimum quantity of materials located in the State of California?

    Yes; EC Section 60061 states that a publisher shall: “maintain a representative, office, or depository in the State of California, or arrange with an independently owned and operated depository in the State of California to receive and fill orders for instructional materials.” Additionally, once the SBE adopts instructional materials for a particular subject, those materials remain on the list of adopted materials for that subject until such time that the SBE adopts a new list of instructional materials for that subject (EC Section 60200(h)).

25. Is there a requirement for a multi-year pricing guarantee for curriculum?

    Yes. Publishers may raise the price of their materials only every other year (EC Section 60201); however, they may lower prices at any time.

26. Is there a no-contact rule for publishers not to contact any school or district personnel directly during the adoption process?

    5 CCR Section 9514 states the following regarding prohibited communications: (a) Publishers or their representatives shall not communicate with facilitators, Instructional Material Reviewers (IMRs) and Content Review Experts (CREs), during their tenure, and facilitators, IMRs and CREs, during their tenure, shall not communicate with publishers or their representatives, about anything related to the evaluation or adoption of instructional materials submitted for adoption, other than when publishers are making presentations or public comment in open publicly-noticed meetings. When publishers or their representatives, or facilitators, IMRs or CREs, make a prohibited communication, the SBE may take corrective action, including disqualification of the publisher, facilitator and IMR/CRE from further participation in the adoption.
    
    (b) Publishers, or their representatives, shall not communicate with Commissioners about anything related to the evaluation or adoption of instructional materials, other than during the times for public comment in open publicly-noticed meetings, or other than through written submissions addressed to all Commissioners in care of the Executive Director of the Commission, between the date set forth in the Schedule of Significant Events when instructional materials are delivered to IMRs, CREs and LRDCs and the date when the SBE takes action to adopt. When publishers or their representatives, or commissioners make a prohibited communication, the SBE may take corrective action, including disqualification of the publisher and the Commissioner from further participation in the adoption.
    
    (c) Notwithstanding the above prohibitions, facilitators, IMRs, CREs, and Commissioners may contact publishers for technical assistance in using electronic instructional materials.
    
    (d) Notwithstanding the above prohibitions, publishers or their representatives may communicate with the chairperson, or designee, of the Commission or the chairperson, or designee, of the Subject Matter Committee involved in the adoption during the time set forth for deliberations.

27. Are publishers going to receive sequence codes that must be on the label for each submitted item as in years past?

    Yes. Publishers must submit a list of items on the provided Excel spreadsheet no later than May 15, 2013. The CDE will return the list to publishers amended with the sequence codes by May 31, 2013.