2017 History-Social Science Adoption FAQs

2017 History–Social Science Adoption Frequently Asked Questions.

Process

What are the deadlines for participation in this adoption?

Answer: Publishers must submit an Intent to Submit form no later than February 1, 2017. Those forms will be distributed at the Invitation to Submit (ITS) meeting on January 18, 2017, and will be available online for publishers who cannot attend that meeting. The Intent to Submit form will be used to bill publishers for the participation fee for participation in the adoption. Fees are due along with a completed Submission Form (which will also be provided at the ITS meeting) on March 8, 2017.
What will the fee be for participation in this adoption?

Answer: We anticipate that the fee will be $5,000 per grade level, consistent with past adoptions.
Is there an appeals process for reducing the fee?

Answer: Small publishers can request a reduction or waiver of the participation fee. The California Department of Education (CDE) will make available a form to submit a fee waiver request, which will be due by November 16, 2016.
What are the criteria to qualify as a “small publisher” for the purposes of submitting a fee reduction request?

Answer: Pursuant to Education Code (EC) Section 60212(f)(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.”
Do supplemental materials fall under this adoption process?

Answer: This adoption process is for only full-course programs, i.e., materials meeting all of the evaluation criteria adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE).
Can a publisher submit more than one program in a program type?

Answer: Yes. There is no limit to the number of programs a publisher may submit for any program type. Additionally, the number of components within a publisher’s program is not regulated.
Can publishers submit a K–3 program or a grades 7–8 program? Or must a submitted program cover grades K–8?

Answer: A publisher may submit a complete grade-level program for any grade level combination, including only a single grade.
What are the requirements for display of submitted instructional materials during an adoption? What are the requirements for publishers?

Answer: Publishers must post the student editions of their submitted programs on a website that is accessible to the public (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, [5 CCR] Section 9523). The publishers shall send a URL to the CDE containing that link no later than the deadline for the distribution of instructional materials samples to the public specified in the Publishers’ Invitation to Submit. The regulations state that the materials “posted on each publisher's website shall be identical to the hard copy version of the instructional materials submitted for adoption, except that copyrighted items that do not allow for posting online may be omitted and replaced by a description of the omitted item, and any online features that are absent from the hard copy version shall be identified.”

In addition to the online display, publishers must distribute hard copies/software copies (or digital access keys for online materials) to Learning Resource Display Centers (LRDCs) across the state. The CDE will provide a list of LRDCs as part of the sampling bulletin that will be distributed during the April training of reviewers.
What exactly counts as “student materials” for the requirement that those materials be posted online for review?

Answer: 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.
Can we have a password or other security feature on the student editions we post online?

Answer: Publishers may implement security features they deem necessary as long as they do not limit public access to the materials. If there is a password, there must be a process for members of the public to request that password and receive it in a timely manner.
How do we post our student materials online if they contain copyrighted images?

Answer: Publishers may either conceal or omit copyrighted images with a notation that the image is available in the print materials or include pages that have embedded watermarks. In addition, publishers may note that materials are posted for review purposes only.
How long do our student materials need to be kept online?

Answer: The materials must be kept online and accessible until the State Board of Education takes action to adopt instructional materials.
What is the role of publishers at the public meetings for this adoption (training, deliberations, Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) meetings, etc.)?

Answer: Publishers are invited to attend all public meetings. The final day of training will be dedicated to publisher sessions where they will be expected to provide an overview of their program to the panel that will be reviewing their materials. More details about this process will be included in a later bulletin. At deliberations, publishers will be provided with questions from the reviewers at the end of the first day of deliberations. They will get to respond to those questions during a scheduled session on the second day of deliberations. In addition, publishers may respond to reviewer questions or concerns during the public comment sessions that will be scheduled during each day of deliberations.
How will public comment be handled during this adoption?

Answer: The 5 CCR, Section 9521, provides detailed instructions on the handling of public comments on instructional materials. Specifically, public comments related to the submitted materials that are received by CDE within 14 days of the first day of reviewer deliberations will be distributed to the appropriate reviewers no less than 7 days prior to the start of deliberations. Furthermore, members of the public may attend all public sessions and be in the room during panel deliberations. Public comment will be taken during every day of training and at least twice a day during deliberations. We will go over these procedures with reviewers during the training in April 2017.

Once the panels complete their deliberations, there will be additional opportunities for public comment. The IQC will host a public input session in August 2017 at CDE Headquarters, and public hearings will be held at the History Social Studies (HSS) Subject Matter Committee (SMC) meeting and full Commission in September 2017 and again at the SBE in November 2017. Comments received during the process will be forwarded to the IQC and the SBE for consideration at those meetings.
Is there any requirement for a Publisher to post a Bond in order to participate or after being approved for adoption?

Answer: No.
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?

Answer: 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)).
Is there a requirement for a multi-year pricing guarantee for curriculum?

Answer: Yes. Publishers may raise the price of their materials only every other year (EC Section 60201); however, they may lower prices at any time.
Must districts purchase instructional materials from the SBE adoption list?

Answer: No. EC Section 60210 states the following:

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a local educational agency may use instructional materials that are aligned with the academic content standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605 or 60605.8, including instructional materials that have not been adopted by the state board pursuant to Section 60200.

(b) Instructional materials for mathematics that are aligned to common core academic content standards developed by the Common Core State Standards Initiative consortium pursuant to Section 60605.7 shall be deemed to be aligned to the content standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605 or 60605.8 for purposes of Section 60119.

(c) If a local educational agency chooses to use instructional materials that have not been adopted by the state board, the local educational agency shall ensure that a majority of the participants of any review process conducted by the local educational agency are classroom teachers who are assigned to the subject area or grade level of the materials.

LEAs may also utilize supplemental resources that meet the requirements of the social content standards requirements.
What funding is available to districts to purchase instructional materials?

Answer: Districts may use Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funds or proposition 20 lottery funds. For more information on the LCFF, please visit the CDE LCFF web page.
To whom should questions for the IQC be sent?

Answer: Questions or correspondence intended for the IQC may be sent to the attention of the IQC Executive Director at CFIRD@cde.ca.gov.
To whom should questions regarding the adoption and/or specific program content be sent?

Answer: Questions directly related the adoption should be directed to David Almquist, Publisher Liaison, at dalmquis@cde.ca.gov.
Is there a no-contact rule for publishers not to contact any school or district personnel directly during the adoption process?

Answer: Yes, if they are SBE-appointed reviewers or facilitators of review panels. State regulations (5 CCR Section 9514) state that “Publishers or their representatives shall not communicate with” reviewers or facilitators during their tenure about “anything related to the evaluation or adoption of instructional materials submitted for adoption.” Publishers also must 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”…“ and the date when the SBE takes action to adopt.” Reviewers and Commissioners “may contact publishers for technical assistance in using electronic instructional materials.” …publishers “may communicate with the chairperson”…“of the Commission or the chairperson”…“of the Subject Matter Committee involved in the adoption during the time set forth for deliberations.”
(Added 23-Jul-2016) Are there any requirements for Spanish? If we have a Spanish version of a text that is available for schools, does it need to be reviewed?

Answer: There is no requirement for publishers participating in the 2017 HSS adoption to provide materials in another language other than English. Following the adoption process, adopted publishers may submit alternate formats of adopted materials. Alternate format versions of adopted materials must contain the exact same content as the adopted version but may appear in a different physical format (i.e., on a flash drive instead of print version) or be a translation (e.g., Spanish instead of English). For translations, the CDE will conduct an in-depth review of the text.

Evaluation Criteria

(Added 31-Jan-2017) Can some of the standards be covered only in the online resources?
Answer: Criteria Statement 1.1 states the following:

1. Instructional materials, as defined in Education Code Section 60010(h), support instruction designed to ensure that students master all the History–Social Science Content Standards for the intended grade level. Analysis skills of the pertinent grade span must be covered at each grade level. This instruction must be included in the student edition of the instructional materials; while there can be direction in materials for the teacher to support instruction in the standards, this cannot be in lieu of content in the student edition (bold emphasis added). The standards themselves must be included in their entirety in the student materials, either at point of instruction or collected together at another location.

However, “student edition” does not necessarily mean the classic student textbook alone but can include any materials to be utilized by the student. Therefore, this meaning can include online resources so long as those resources are identified as part of your submitted program and the student has access to them. We do recommend that you make such content very easy to find and access.
(Added 31-Jan-2017) Criteria Statement 1.19 states the following:

Materials on American life and history give significant attention to the principles of morality, truth, justice, and patriotism and to a comprehension of the rights, duties, and dignity of American citizenship, inspiring an understanding of and a commitment to American ideals. Examples of memorable addresses by historical figures are presented in their historical context, including the effect of those addresses on people then and now (Education Code sections 52720 and 60200.5).

Because it says American life and history, is this statement applicable only to 5th and 8th grade?

Answer: Since criteria statement 1.19 specifically refers to American history, it would have the most applicability to materials that cover grades five and eight. However, publisher should also consider this statement in the context of kindergarten through grade three, as the content standards for those grade levels call for coverage of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, American values and ideals, and heroic figures in American history. It would also apply to grade four, since California is part of the United States.
(Added 31-Jan-2017) Is it permissible that some of our program content is located online in open educational resources (OER) that we do not own or specifically license?

No. Publishers must have complete control of the content and maintain its static nature in order to preserve it as approved by the State Board of Education.

Additionally, publishers should note the social content prohibition regarding advertising within their program materials which would apply to any web content. For additional information, please refer to the adoption Invitation to Submit document and the SBE guidelines document Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content, available at the following CDE website: Social Content Review.
(Added 31-Jan-2017) “The CA HSS Framework refers to both hominids and hominins. Neither term is in the 1998 content standards. Recognizing this is a framework-based as well as a standards-based adoption, does the program need to use only the term hominin?”

Answer: “Materials should be aligned to the California framework, which uses the term “hominin” to refer to the ancestors of modern humans and other species very similar to our own. The framework also occasionally uses the term “hominid” as well, but that term applies to a broader taxonomic category that includes the great apes so publishers should be careful to be clear what they are referring to when using either term in their materials.”
(Added 31-Jan-2017) In Chapter 11, the Framework outlines Grade Seven Social Studies content. We understand that the content in our resources must align to the Framework, including content that is divergent from or in addition to the content outlined in the standards. Must the organization of our resources also mirror the organization of content in the Framework?

For example, the Framework suggests 10 units that are organized both regionally and chronologically. In the Framework, the “Gunpowder Empires” (including Ottoman, Mughal, Ming, and early English and Spanish) are taught together as part of a unit on “Global Convergence (1450-1750). However, many of these empires and dynasties began in the fourteenth century and have roots that predate Columbian-era voyages and interaction. If all of the content specified in the Framework is addressed, can the content appear with a different unit organization. Could, for example, the Ming Dynasty be introduced and taught with the earlier East Asia content and the Ottoman Empire be introduced and taught with Southwest Asia content?

Answer: The evaluation criteria requires that materials “support instruction” aligned to the standards (statement 1.1) and “reflect and incorporate” the content of the framework (statement 1.2). Category 2: Program Organization, statement 2.7 states that, “Topical or thematic headings reflect the framework and standards and clearly indicate the content that follows.

However, we recognize that the organizational structure of the standards and framework do not always match up cleanly. In grade seven, for example, the organization of the standards has a more regional approach while the framework takes a more thematic approach to the same content.

Because of this publishers have leeway to organize their programs in a way that tends toward either of those approaches, as long as the content in both the standards and the framework is fully addressed. Whichever approach they select, publishers should also refer to the rest of Category 2: Program Organization, which calls for “sequential organization” (statement 2.1), “well-organized” content (statement 2.3), and a structure where “each topic builds clearly on the preceding one(s) in a systematic manner” (statement 2.8).
(Added 31-Jan-2017) In some cases, our scholars are asserting different dates for periods of history than the dates the standards and/or framework provide. Can we use in our instructional materials the dates we believe to be more accurate?

Answer: The collected research may vary to small degrees in historical matters, for example in selecting precise dates for eras based upon the choosing of what specific events marked a beginning or end. However, in that evaluation criteria statements 1.1 and 1.2 stipulate alignment to the state-adopted standards and curriculum framework respectively, publisher materials should utilize all citations as specified in both the standards and framework. That being said, publishers may note incidentally that other research offers an alternative perspective.
(Added 7-Dec-2016) What are the Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs) referenced in Category 1 criterion #15, and what is their purpose?

Answer: At their core, the EP&Cs are a set of “big ideas” about the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. They were developed, pursuant to law, with the intent of ensuring all students in California achieve a basic level of environmental literacy as part of a high-quality K-12 education. That is why the EP&Cs are included as a Category 1 criterion not only in the California HSS Framework, but also in the California Science Framework. Through repeated exposure to the EP&Cs across disciplines and at increasing levels of complexity and sophistication from kindergarten to twelfth grade, students will come to more deeply understand and apply them in a variety of contexts.

A list of the EP&Cs can be found in the History Social Science Framework (PDF).
(Added 7-Dec-2016) How might the EP&Cs be reflected in materials submitted for adoption?

Answer: In 2010, the SBE adopted a model curriculum (also known as the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum) that reflects an integrated approach for lessons addressing relevant standards. This EEI curriculum may serve as an excellent example. The EEI is available for viewing at California Education and the Environment Initiative website (PDF). Publishers may incorporate elements of the EEI Curriculum into their programs with appropriate citations for credit. For questions about use permission, please contact CalRecycle’s Office of Education and the Environment at eei@calrecycle.ca.gov.

(Added 7-Dec-2016) How does California define “appropriate” for the purposes of Category 1 criterion #15? That is, how should a publisher determine whether the EP&Cs are aligned to a given history-social science content standard?

Answer: Broadly defined, the “environment” is the context in which we live our lives. It includes high mountain meadows and cool clear streams, the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soils in which we grow the food we eat. The environment also encompasses the communities in which we live and all of the seen and unseen phenomena that comprise the natural systems on which we rely. In this sense, the environment is fundamental to every student’s experience and is the context in which all of human history is embedded. Thus, based on this broad interpretation of “environment,” the EP&Cs can be connected with many (though not all) history-social science standards.

(Added 8-Nov-2016) Regarding the use of “teachers may” and “students may” in framework—we are wondering if we need to include all references to “teachers may” or “students may” or if these are suggestions. Below are a couple of examples:
1. The teacher may point out that mounted warrior armies from Central Eurasia caused problems for empires and kingdoms in China, India, and Persia as well, and contributed to a decline of trade on the silk roads and other land routes across Eurasia between 300 and 600 CE.
2. Teachers may also highlight the role played by African leaders such as Queen Nzinga from Angola in this increasingly global exchange.
3. Students may compare mathematical systems that developed in Afroeurasia with Maya mathematics, which utilized positional notation, the concept of zero, and a base-20 numerical system.
Answer: The Framework’s use of the word “may” is permissive in nature and not a mandate as it applies to a specific example for instruction. However, a review panel may determine that the associated academic content within the example is a “must have” for meeting the criteria of “instructional materials reflect and incorporate the content of the HSS Framework” (1.2).
(Added 8-Nov-2016) As to how to incorporate Classroom Examples into the curriculum—we know that we don’t need to use the Classroom Examples in the framework as the activities for our lessons. However, we would like to cite some of them or include them as references for teachers to provide support in implementing the framework. Is it appropriate to include some of these as direct text if we say, “As suggested in the History-Social Science Framework, teachers may….”

Answer: Publishers may incorporate the Classroom Examples into their programs with quotes of reasonable length; however, for the use of longer quotations, such as a block of text, publishers should first consult the CDE for permission. Publishers should cite the Framework appropriately by first using the full name of History–Social Science Framework for California Public Schools with the abbreviation CA HSS Framework thereafter. Publishers should note that the CDE is making final edits to the CA HSS Framework at this time and that page numbers will likely change; therefore, the CDE recommends publishers not cite page numbers but rather chapters.
(Added 8-Nov-2016) As to how to incorporate Education and the Environment Curriculum Units—we are considering adding overviews of the Education and the Environment Units and directions to accessing them as part of our “Deeper Coverage” suggestions for various lessons. Is it appropriate to include these? Would it count towards our coverage of the requirement in Category 1.15 to include coverage of the principles?

Answer: The EEI curriculum may serve as an excellent example for the integration of environmental principles and concepts into a subject-matter curriculum, and utilizing such examples would address criterion 1.15. Review panels will determine if a publisher has provided sufficient content to satisfy the criterion.
(Added 16-Sept-2016) Do we need to include 100 percent of the standards and 100 percent of the frameworks in the print/digital student editions? Or can we utilize the teacher materials (black line masters, etc.) to cover 100 percent of both the standards and frameworks?

Answer: The evaluation criteria stipulates the following: “To be adopted, materials must first meet in full Category 1, History–Social Science Content/Alignment with Standards.” Additionally, criterion 1.1 states: “This instruction must be included in the student edition of the instructional materials; while there can be direction in materials for the teacher to support instruction in the standards, this cannot be in lieu of content in the student edition.” Therefore, both student materials and teacher materials must incorporate coverage of all standards at the intended grade level.

Regarding the instructional content of the Framework, criterion 1.2 states the following:
“Instructional materials reflect and incorporate the content of the History–Social Science Framework.” Therefore, while a submitted program must incorporate all of the content of the Framework, it is up to the individual publisher as to where to include that content.
(Added 16-Sept-2016) In the Framework chapter on the 5th grade, we came across the name of Mary Ludlow in a list of people who contributed to the American Revolution: “To gain a fuller understanding of the era and how the war was experienced on the ground, students can examine the contributions of Abigail Adams, Deborah Sampson, Mercy Otis Warren, Nathan Hale, Haym Salomon, Phillis Wheatley, Mary Ludlow, and Benedict Arnold.” (Lines 580–583, Chapter 8 of the Framework). However, we do not find such a person in the relevant historical records; is this name an error?

Answer: Yes, this name is an error. The name should have been listed as “Mary Ludwig Hays (otherwise known as Molly Pitcher).” The CDE is correcting the Framework online.
(Added 16-Sept-2016) The new HSS Framework includes many examples of teaching activities and lesson plans that reference specific content. For example, Chapter 11, which describes the requirements for Grade 7, specifically references maps, primary sources and lesson plans from the University of California (UC) Davis History Blueprint, Sites of Encounter in the Medieval World. Similarly, the HSS Framework also cites specific content from the Education and Environment Initiatives (EEI) modules.

Keeping in mind that the Criteria for Evaluating Instructional Materials (Chapter 23 of the HSS Framework), Category 1, Item 2 requires instructional materials submitted for adoption to “incorporate the content of the History–Social Science Framework” this raises a few questions:

Are publishers required to link to these materials from UC Davis in their Grade 7 programs?

Answer: No.

Are publishers required to integrate the EEI modules into their programs?

Answer: No. Materials must include instructional content based upon the Environmental Principles and Concepts developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency and adopted by the State Board of Education (Public Resources Code Section 71301) where appropriate and aligned to the history–social science content standards (Criterion 1.15).
(Added 16-Sept-2016) If publishers notice inconsistencies between content in the California HSS standards and content in the California HSS Framework, which should be followed in programs submitted for adoption?

Answer: See FAQ #32 and #35 for guidance; however, if there is a direct contradiction, you may consult the CDE for guidance and an official response. In general, the conventions of current historical scholarship should be followed.
(Added 16-Sept-2016) The Standards use "Before Christ"/"Anno Domini" (BC/AD) for historical dates whereas the Framework uses BCE/CE. Which should publishers use?

Answer: In the content of materials, publishers should use the calendar era naming conventions of Before Common Era “BCE” and Common Era “CE” pursuant to the curriculum framework (while still including the exact text of the standards at some point in both the student and teacher materials).
(Added 16-Sept-2016) The Standards require coverage of the Aryan invasion of India (see 6.5.2) whereas Chapter 10 of the HSS Framework presents a different historical interpretation. It avoids reference to these invasions, does not use the term “Aryan” and only references the migration and intermixing of people from different language groups in India. Given that the Criteria for Evaluation requires the content of both the Standards and the Framework to be met in full, can CDE provide some guidance to publishers as to how to reconcile inconsistencies between the standards and the Framework in these type of situations?

Answer: Publishers may indicate where historical debates have arisen subsequent to the adoption of the standards. Language indicating the historical controversy over the Aryan Invasion/Migration Thesis was permitted in the 2005 History–Social Science Adoption.
(Added 17-Aug-2016) Are there four oceans or five? First grade standard 1.2.1 states the following:
- 1.2 Students compare and contrast the absolute and relative locations of
  places and people and describe the physical and/or human characteristics of places.
- 1. Locate on maps and globes their local community, California, the United States,
  the seven continents, and the four oceans.
Answer: Most authorities now recognize the Southern Ocean in addition to the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans. While we are not updating the official standard here, publishers may identify five oceans without penalty.
Criterion 1.1 states that the “Analysis skills of the pertinent grade span must be covered at each grade level.” Will those be included on the Standards Maps, and how should they be cited?

Answer: The Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills should be treated like any other standards. In the Standards Maps, they will be appended to the end of each grade level. Publishers should cite exemplars of each of the Analysis skill standards at each grade level allowing the reviewer to conclude they are present and fully covered.
Criterion 1.2 states that “Instructional materials reflect and incorporate the content of the History–Social Science Framework.” How closely do the materials have to align to the content of the framework as opposed to the standards?

Answer: As with past adoptions, the 2017 History–Social Science Adoption is a framework-aligned adoption. During the adoption, reviewers will evaluate each publisher’s submission for alignment to Criterion 1.2 and the evidence submitted by the publisher on the Evaluation Criteria Map. All of the content in the framework must be included, so if a specific event, person, or place is discussed in the framework, it should also be present in the materials. The only exception is that if the item is presented in the framework as an illustrative example (such as a list that is prefaced by “e.g.”).

(Added 23-Jul-2016) Note: Unless otherwise specifically stated, or otherwise referenced in the standards or framework, each of which would take priority over the following definitions, publishers generally may interpret the use of the following terms as noted here:
“i.e.” means “in essence” or “in other words” and should be interpreted to mean to include everything referenced.

“e.g.” means “for example” and should be interpreted to mean not everything referenced necessarily needs to be included. (However, note that reviewers may determine that the absence of an important parenthetically-referenced item raises questions about whether the publisher has adequately covered the subject as a whole.)

“such as” should also be interpreted as meaning “for example” and that not everything referenced necessarily needs to be included.
What about topics that are referenced in the History–Social Science Framework but are not included in the standards? For example, the unit on “South Asia 300-1200” that is in the grade seven course description.

Answer: Because the criteria calls for alignment of topics to the framework as well as the standards (Criteria statements 1.2 and 1.12), the topic cited would need to be included in the instructional materials.
Should our instructional models follow the example of the various Classroom Examples included in the History–Social Science Framework?

Answer: The Classroom Examples in the framework were intended to provide examples for teachers on how to implement standards-based instruction in the classroom. Publishers may use them for guidance as well but are not required to align their materials to them.

As in the last adoption, the criteria calls for several topics to be included in multiple grade levels in middle school (Criterion 1.12). How should we integrate those topics into our materials?

Answer: Criterion 1.12 calls for materials to include some of the “grade seven content standards” in the materials for grades six and eight. It is up to the publisher to determine how to fit the specified grade seven content into those other grade levels, as long as the required standards are all addressed. In the past, publishers have simply duplicated those units in their materials. However, the duplicate content should still reflect the other criteria for providing support and guidance for teachers in terms of how to use it.
(Added 27-Mar-2017) We are busy working on our standards maps and need your guidance on where to record the required 7th grade standards (7.1, 7.7) on the 6th grade standards map.
Answer: Publishers of grade six materials need to include coverage of standards 7.1 and 7.7 in grade six materials. The standards map for grade six does not include those two standards. The publisher does not have to submit a separate grade seven map with citations for those two standards, nor do they have to add those two standards to their grade six map. Rather, they must provide evidence of their coverage of those standards in their criteria map under criterion 1.12.
Related to the above, Criterion 1.12 also states that the “breadth and depth of world history to be covered are described in the History–Social Science Framework course descriptions.” However, there are a few instances where the standards and framework diverge on the coverage of specific topics. For example, the history of early Christianity in the Roman Empire is listed in the standards in grade six, but in the framework that topic is discussed in grade seven. How should we address those topics in our materials?

Answer: In that instance, the topic should be included in both grade levels, as noted in the question above.

Are we required to include the contributions of LGBT individuals in our materials?

Answer: Yes. Both state law (EC Section 60040) and the evaluation criteria (Criterion 1.14) call for this content to be included. Reviewers will be trained in evaluating materials for the inclusion of these and other groups as part of the social content review process. The History–Social Science Framework provides guidance in this area.
How will Categories 2 through 5 of the criteria be treated differently than Category 1 during the adoption review?

Answer: In order to be eligible for adoption, programs must meet all of the individual criteria statements in Category 1, while having strengths in the other categories. As stated in the criteria, the other categories will be “judged holistically” by the review panels. This does not necessarily mean that every single statement in those other categories must be met, but publishers should still fill out their Evaluation Criteria Maps thoroughly to ensure that reviewers have all of the evidence needed to make their decision on each category. Each of the four other categories must be found to be met on balance for a program to be eligible for adoption.
Must publishers include the text of the standards in instructional materials submitted for this review?

Answer: Yes. Publishers are required to include the complete text of the History–Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools, including the analysis skill standards, in the teacher and student components of their program (Criteria statements 1.1 and 2.7). 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).” The standards may appear either at the point of instruction or collected together at another location.
Do we have to include the Common Core literacy standards in the materials as well?

Answer: No. However, student writing assignments should be aligned to grade-level expectations in the Writing Standards for K–5 and 6–12 (as applicable) and the Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6–12 in the California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (Criteria statements 1.13 and 3.6).
Must submitted programs explicitly address the 2012 English language development (ELD) standards in the submitted materials?

Answer: No. However, programs must include strategies that are consistent with the 2012 ELD standards in their instructional materials (Criteria statements 1.13, 3.6, and 4.10).
(Amended 16-Sept.2016) Can we include other standards, such as national standards or content from other states, in our materials?

Answer: The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, (5 CCR) Section 9517(h), states the following:

Publishers shall include in instructional materials submitted for adoption, only content standards approved by the SBE and specified in the evaluation criteria for the adoption. Adopted instructional materials shall not include references to national standards or standards from other states.
Additionally, the evaluation criteria specifically calls for materials to be aligned to the California standards and framework. The criteria states that, “History–social science instructional materials must support teaching aligned with the standards and framework. Materials that are contrary to or inconsistent with the standards, framework, and criteria are not allowed. Extraneous materials should be minimal and clearly purposeful.”
(Added 23-Jul-2016) At what grade levels should the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence be included in the student material?

Answer: References to the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence appear throughout the California History-Social Content Standards, including in the following standards: 1.3, 3.4, 4.5, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 7.11, 8.2, 8.9, and 8.10.

Additionally, California Education Code Section 60043 states the following: When adopting instructional materials for use in the schools, the governing board shall require, when appropriate to the comprehension of pupils, that textbooks for social science, history or civics classes contain the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

A close read of the standards and that for which each specifically calls, informed by EC Section 60043, will help each publisher determine where to include the text of these important documents, but the full text of these two documents should be included somewhere in your program.
(Added 23-Jul-2016) To ensure coverage of Education Code Section 51008, at what grade levels should there be coverage of Cesar Chavez?

Answer: Inclusion of Cesar Chavez may be appropriate at multiple grade levels of a publisher’s program in satisfying California EC Section 51008, which states: The State Board of Education shall ensure that the state curriculum and framework, where appropriate, include instruction on Cesar Chavez and the history of the farm labor movement in the United States, and the role of immigrants, including Filipino Americans, in that movement, and that the state criteria for selecting textbooks include information to guide the selection of textbooks that contain sections that highlight the life and contributions of Cesar Chavez, the history of the farm labor movement in the United States, and the role of immigrants, including Filipino Americans, in that movement.

Note that the current draft HSS Curriculum Framework specifically mentions Cesar Chavez in chapters 3 and 7 (HSS Framework).

Standards and Evaluation Criteria Map

When will Standards and Evaluation Criteria Maps be available?

Answer: The Standards and Evaluation Criteria Maps will be brought to the Instructional Quality Commission and the SBE for approval pursuant to 5 CCR Section 9510(u). They will be formally distributed to publishers at the Invitation to Submit meeting scheduled for January 18, 2017, and will be posted on the CDE website after that meeting. The Standards Maps from the 2005 History–Social Science Adoption are still posted on the
CDE website and will likely not change significantly since the content standards have not changed.
On the maps do you want a list of citations on one line, separated by commas or one citation on each line?

Answer: Multiple citations can be separated by a comma or semi colon.
Our digital program does not have page numbers. May we use the unit and lesson numbers as citations on the standards maps?

Answer: 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 and may include direct links to the cited content.
May our primary citations on the standards maps refer to ancillary components or must they are refer only to the student and teacher editions?

Answer: 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. However, note that Criterion 1.1 states that in order for instruction to be considered as meeting a content standard, “This instruction must be included in the student edition of the instructional materials; while there can be direction in materials for the teacher to support instruction in the standards, this cannot be in lieu of content in the student edition.”
How many times must a standard be met within a grade level?

Answer: Each standard must be met fully. Even a small part of a standard found to be not met may eliminate the grade level from being adopted. Each standard listed in the standards maps should be referenced with exemplar citations to demonstrate to reviewers that the standard is fully covered within the content of the publisher’s submitted program.
How many criteria maps must be completed?

Answer: 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.
How many standards maps must be completed?

Answer: You must complete a standards map for each grade level for each program submitted.

Distribution of Samples

On what date are sample materials due?

Answer: Samples, and the corresponding evaluation criteria and standards maps are due on or before 5 p.m. PDT, May 12, 2017.
How many copies of samples must be provided?

Answer: The CDE will advise publishers of an approximate number of sample packages around the time of the reviewer training sessions, but publishers should be prepared to provide up to 80 copies by the end of the process.
Do all materials (core and ancillary) need to be submitted in May 2017?

Answer: Yes. All components of the complete program to be reviewed must be submitted by the specific May 2017 due date. Any materials submitted after that date will not be reviewed.
If our materials are incomplete at the May 2017 deadline, may we submit them anyway and submit the complete materials when they are available?

Answer: No. Publishers will not be permitted to submit new content after the May 2017 submission deadline.
Do you have a different submission process for the review of digital curriculum – specifically in regards to the delivery of the material?

Answer: No. Publishers should deliver their program materials by the specified delivery date whether they are in print or digital form. If the program materials are online, the publisher might simply include a document stating the appropriate URL and password, if required.
If a program is web-based, do we need to supply the reviewer with hardware, or is a password sufficient?

Answer: 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.
Will the materials publishers send to the LRDCs stay at those locations for the life of the adoption?

Answer: The CDE requests LRDCs to display materials for two years following an SBE adoption and keep them thereafter. Following this two-year period, publishers must collect any hardware associated with their program(s).
Will samples be required for every school/district or only at their request?

Answer: The CDE will ask publishers to deliver samples to SBE-approved reviewers, LRDCs, and select IQC and SBE members. Publishers need not provide sample materials to schools.
May we submit actual content to be reviewed in a different format? (e.g., pdf vs. online function). In other words, is it more important in our samples to show technical functionality or actual instruction within the classroom?

Answer: For electronic submissions, all content must be included; however, all functionality of features need not be operational—again, so long as the content itself is submitted.
Can we submit print materials in less than final form?

Answer: Yes, within certain defined parameters. 5 CCR Section 9517 establishes the following parameters of acceptable “less-than-final” formats:

(j) Publishers shall submit all instructional materials in the same physical form that will be offered for purchase during the adoption period with the following exceptions:

Audio recordings may be submitted in manuscript form; Artwork may appear in black and white that will ultimately appear in color in the instructional materials offered for purchase during the adoption period. Alternate formats as described in section 9528.

(k) Except as described in sections 9528 and 9529, publishers shall not change or modify instructional materials after the date specified in the Schedule of Significant Events for delivery of instructional materials to Instructional Materials Reviewers (IMRs), Content Review Experts (CREs) and LRDCs. Instructional materials changed or modified after this delivery date shall be disqualified from consideration in the adoption unless the changes or modifications are approved by the SBE.
When are final formats due?

Answer: Final formats will be due 60 days following the CDE’s confirmation of the conclusion of the edits and corrections process.
What are the guidelines for submitting “alternate formats?”

Answer: Alternate format versions of adopted materials must contain the exact same content as the adopted version but may appear in a different physical format (i.e., on a flash drive instead of print version) or be a translation (e.g., Spanish instead of English).
When are alternate formats due?

Answer: Publishers may submit alternate formats of adopted materials at any time following the actual adoption of programs by the SBE and the conclusion of the edits and corrections process.
Are we required to submit materials in another language besides English?
Answer: Publishers are not required to submit alternate format versions of their adopted materials in another language.

Questions: Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division | CFIRD@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0881

Last Reviewed: Friday, May 24, 2024

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