Science of Reading Curriculum Evaluation Rubric
Use this rubric to evaluate literacy curricula against key Science of Reading principles, including instructional design, assessment, and differentiation.
About this resource
This rubric helps school and district leaders evaluate whether a curriculum aligns with Science of Reading best practices.
Research
1 Is the program aligned to the Science of Reading?
- All units, preschool through transition, are aligned with the Science of Reading. ELA courses are systematically based on the Science of Reading
Instructional Design
2 Does instruction cover the 5 Pillars of Reading Instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, fluency)?
- Instructional guides, unit lessons, Science of Reading courses
3 Does the program include explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction?
- Science of Reading course lesson plans, course pre-/post-assessments, scope and sequences (ULS phonics scope & sequence, thematic unit order of letters), instructional guide
4 Is there a logical scope and sequence?
- Scope and sequences (ULS phonics scope & sequence, thematic unit order of letters)
5 Is the instruction standards aligned?
- All units are aligned to all 50 states’ extended standards. Science of Reading courses are aligned to all 50 states’ extended standards
6 Is the instruction differentiated?
- Instructional guides, unit lesson plans, Science of Reading course lesson plans
Assessments
7 Are there assessments that gauge student progress/understanding of the Science of Reading topics?
- Benchmark assessments, course pre-/post-assessments
8 Do the assessments help inform instructional decisions regarding which lessons/activities students should focus on next?
- Benchmark assessments, course pre-/post-assessments
9 How are the assessments administered?
- Student-facing, teacher-led, online, and/or offline