Summary of Changes to the Revised Publishers’ Criteria
for the Common Core State Standards
Summary of Changes to the Revised Publishers’ Criteria
for the Common Core State Standards
in English Language Arts and Literacy, Grades 3 -12
On April 12, 2012, two of the lead authors of the Common Core State Standards revised the Publishers’
Criteria for Grades 3-12. The lead authors, after conversations with teachers, researchers and other
stakeholders, brought more clarity to the already existing content as well as additions to assist in making
sound decisions surrounding curriculum materials. The following is a brief summary of these clarifications
and additions; a more comprehensive summary is included by section.
Clarifications to the Existing Content:
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Students need teachers to ask high quality questions they can in turn emulate in
substantive discussions with their peers.
Materials and activities need to provide sufficient opportunities to practice the use of
academic vocabulary in speaking and writing.
Students need appropriate scaffolding and the opportunity to productively struggle with
complex text.
New Additions:
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Questions and tasks need to be text specific vs. generic.
Assessment opportunities need to clearly indicate the standards and texts being
emphasized; materials should offer frequent assessments and include record keeping
and follow up.
Materials should include model rubrics and high-quality student samples.
Text-based writing should not follow a formula but focus on the elements and
characteristics of good writing.
The overarching message from the lead authors, and those consulted, is rigor for grades 3-12. More
importantly, assessment is now addressed as is the critical role teachers play in text selection. This
revision was an opportunity to enhance the need to understand the key shifts that will propel the transition
to the Common Core State Standards.
Theresa Bennett
Summary of Changes 3-12
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Summary of Changes to the Revised Publishers’ Criteria
for the Common Core State Standards
Section/Page #
Introduction/p. 1
Document Organization/p. 2
I. Key Criteria for Text
Selection/ pp. 3-4
Revisions/Edits
First sentence added, “…and revised through conversations
with teachers, researchers, and other stakeholders….”
Key criteria no longer in outline form to include each section
only larger headings.
1. Text Complexity
1. B. Heading changed from, “comprehend” and
“required by the standards” to “…have extensive
opportunities to encounter grade-level complex
text.”
1. D. Added “…full-length readings….” to the heading
1. E. Changed heading from, “…markedly increase the
opportunity for regular independent reading of
texts…” to “Additional materials aim to increase
regular independent reading of texts.…”
I. Key Criteria for Text
Selection/ pp. 4-6
Footnote #1: Added: “These criteria recognize the critical
role that teachers play in text selection.”
2. Range and Quality of Texts
2. A. Heading changed from, “…to match what is called
for in the standards” to “…include equal measures
of literacy and informational text”
II. Key Criteria for Questions and
Tasks / pp. 6-8
II. Key Criteria for Questions and
Tasks/ pp. 8-10
III. Key Criteria for Academic
Vocabulary/ pp. 10-11
Theresa Bennett
2. B. Heading changed from, “…ELA programs include
substantially more literary nonfiction” to “…ELA
programs shift the balance of texts and
instructional time towards reading substantially
more literary nonfiction.”
1. High-Quality Text-Dependent Questions and Tasks
1. A. An additional paragraph was added to draw
attention to questions being text specific vs.
generic. “Materials should not over rely on ‘cookiecutter’ questions, such as “What is the main
idea?” There appears to be a new paragraph 4;
but, the text was moved and repurposed
from the original paragraph.
2. Cultivating Students’ Ability to Read Complex Texts
Independently
2. A. An additional paragraph was added to focus on
scaffolding and supporting a wide range of
readers.
Sentence added to the end of paragraph 2: “Materials and
activities should also provide ample opportunities for students
to practice the use of academic vocabulary in the speaking
and writing.”
Summary of Changes 3-12
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Summary of Changes to the Revised Publishers’ Criteria
for the Common Core State Standards
Section/Page #
IV. Key Criteria for Writing to Sources
and Research/ pp. 11-12
Revisions/Edits
1. Materials portray writing to sources as a key task:
New sentence added, “Model rubrics for the writing
assignments as well as high-quality student samples
should also be provided as guidance to teachers.”
2. Added to the beginning of the heading, “Materials focus on
Forming.…”
V. Additional Key Criteria for Student
Reading, Writing, Listening, and
Speaking/ pp. 12-13
3. New Section:
“Materials make it clear that student writing should be
responsive to the needs of the audience and the
particulars of the text in question.” The focus of this
section is on text-based writing that does not follow a
formula but focuses on elements and characteristics of
good writing.
1. Added to the beginning of the heading, “Materials provide
systematic opportunities for students to.…”
2. Added to the beginning of the heading, “Materials help
teachers plan substantive.…”
3. Added to the end of the heading,”…deepen attention to
evidence and texts.”
Theresa Bennett
Summary of Changes 3-12
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Summary of Changes to the Revised Publishers’ Criteria
for the Common Core State Standards
History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects Literacy Curricula
Grades 6–12
Section/Page #
I. Text Selection/ p. 15
II. Questions and Tasks/ pp. 17-18
Revisions/Edits
1. B. All students (including those who are behind) have
extensive opportunities to encounter grade-level
text. The second paragraph under this heading
has been rewritten to be more succinct; no change
in content.
2. Cultivating Student’s Ability to Read Complex Texts
Independently
2. A. Added to middle of first paragraph, “Effective
scaffolding aligned with the standards should result
in the reader encountering the text on its own
terms, with instructions providing helpful directions
that focus students on the text.”
III. Academic (and Domain-Specific)
Vocabulary/ p. 18
2. B. Additional content was added to stress
opportunities for students to participate in real,
substantive discussions that require them to
respond directly to the ideas of their peers.
“Teachers begin by asking the kind and level of
questions appropriate to the reading and then
students are prompted to ask high-quality
questions.…”
New Heading for this Section, “Materials focus on academic
vocabulary prevalent in complex texts throughout reading,
writing, listening, and speaking instruction.”
New Paragraph 2 under this heading: The focus of this new
paragraph is that the aligned materials should offer
opportunities for varied context, support and practice in
reading and writing when teaching the meaning of a word.
IV. Writing to Sources and
Research/ p. 19
New Paragraph 3 under this heading: The focus of this new
paragraph is that the materials should offer opportunities and
for students, such as English language learners, to master
high frequency words since most teachers will not have time
to explicitly teach these.
1. Added to beginning of the heading, “Materials portray….”
2. New #2: “Materials make it clear that student writing
should be responsive to the needs of the audience and the
particulars of the text in question.” The focus of this section is
on text-based writing that does not follow a formula but
focuses on elements and characteristics of good writing.
Theresa Bennett
Summary of Changes 3-12
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