In recent years, the Common Core State Standards have become a universal language for schools across the nation and play a significant role in instructional decisions, including curriculum selection. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were developed to provide a clear framework for what students are expected to learn and to ensure consistent standards, regardless of where students attend school. The standards are organized by grade level into two categories: English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. 

McGraw-Hill conducted an evaluation of Reading Mastery Signature Edition (RMSE), a well-known and widely used DI program, to assess its alignment with the English Language Arts Common Core standards. Overall, RMSE met 95% of the ELA Standards prescribed in the CCSS. Only 23 out of 427 standards are not covered by the program. Moreover, the standards that are not covered by RMSE can be met through lessons and activities that teachers regularly promote in their classrooms. For example, the following Kindergarten standard is not met through RMSE: “With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.” Teachers routinely introduce digital tools, such as computers and word processing software, to students in other subject areas and contexts during the school day.

The newest addition to the DI math family of programs—the 2012 edition of Connecting Math Concepts: Comprehensive Edition (CMCCE)—was specifically designed to meet the Common Core State Standards and is 100% aligned. This program not only meets the CCSS but also offers several improvements over the previous edition, including extensive oral practice on problem types before students work them independently.

Schools using RMSE, CMCCE, and other DI programs can be assured that the coverage in each of those standards addressed is superior to that of traditional texts. In DI, students are expected to master the concepts presented to them and are routinely tracked to ensure mastery. As a result, students don’t just cover the standards that DI programs address – they master them! 

View the correlations by grade level below.