Review Tools

Each set of EdReports review tools covers a content area (e.g., science) and grade band (e.g., K–5), and comprises two documents:

1. A Review Criteria document identifying the “indicators,” or specific items, against which EdReports’ educator reviewers evaluate the quality of instructional materials.
2. An Evidence Guide elaborating details for each indicator including its purpose, information on how to collect evidence, guiding questions and discussion prompts for reviewers, and scoring criteria.

By “tool revisions,” EdReports means revising or updating its review tools, as well as making any related updates to its review process and report formats necessitated by the tool revisions.

EdReports is dedicated to continuous improvement, striving to ensure that our review tools and processes stay relevant, rigorous, and aligned with advances in curriculum, technology, and research on effective learning methods. By regularly refining our tools, we aim to help key stakeholders—decision-makers, students, and publishers—in the following ways:

• For states, districts, and educators: Our goal is to equip curriculum decision-makers with reliable, evidence-based reviews that support informed decisions about program adoptions and allow them to demand high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials.
• For students: Revisions help increase access to the high-quality, aligned instructional materials that all students need in order to thrive.
• For publishers: Updates to our tools provide clear, consistent expectations, supporting publishers in developing materials that meet the evolving needs of the field.

EdReports is dedicated to continuous learning and growth, addressing the needs of students, teachers, districts, and states, and incorporating feedback from our users and the field. We don’t follow a fixed schedule for updating our review tools because the field evolves rapidly; the needs of, and input from, the field primarily determine the timing.

We strive to balance responsiveness to new research findings and emerging trends, such as digital innovations and the use of AI, with near-term stability. This is to ensure our review tools and reports provide reliable guidance for publishers’ design work and allow states to signal quality to districts with confidence.

Tool revisions do not affect existing, published reports. EdReports does not update completed reports retroactively when we revise our review tools. We’re always willing to consider re-reviewing materials if they have been substantively updated, but that decision is prompted by changes to the materials, not to our review tools.

Each report reflects a specific point in time, using the most current versions of both the materials and our review tools. We believe every report we’ve published offers valuable evidence and insights for school systems as they explore potential materials.

Earlier reports are those created with our earlier review tools (v1.0 and v1.5). For more information, see How to Use EdReports’ Earlier Reports and Review Tools.

Reports created with our earlier versions (v1.0 and v1.5) contain valuable insights, but may not fully capture the most recent educational priorities and research. Users should:

• Carefully evaluate specific elements
• Consult current evidence guides
• Understand potential gaps in older review tools

For more information, see How to Use EdReports’ Earlier Reports and Review Tools.