National Instructional Materials Adoption Scorecard and Outlook to 2028 Report

Report Overview

State Mandates, New Standards, and Expanding Subject Reviews Are Reshaping the K-12 Adoption Landscape

States accelerated updates to literacy, numeracy, science, social studies, civics, and financial literacy standards during the 2022–2023 cycle—raising expectations for alignment and creating new opportunities for materials that meet evolving instructional requirements. The 2024–2028 horizon brings heightened review activity across major adoption states, driven by policy shifts and emerging subject-area mandates.

Key Themes Covered in this Report:

• New literacy and numeracy mandates are reshaping early-grade expectations, prompting states to require more structured, research-aligned instructional materials.

• States are expanding subject-area requirements in civics, financial literacy, and CTE, creating fresh opportunities for aligned materials in fast-growing content areas.

• Updated standards and multi-layered evaluation rubrics are increasing the rigor of adoption reviews, influencing how publishers develop, align, and position their materials.

Key Questions Answered in the Report:

• How are new state literacy, numeracy, and content mandates reshaping instructional materials requirements and approval decisions?

• Which subject areas and state reviews are expected to be the most active through 2028, and how will updated standards influence what materials states adopt next?

• How are states changing their evaluation rubrics, review processes, and alignment expectations, and what do these shifts mean for publishers preparing materials for future cycles?

Overview of the Adoption Landscape

The 2024 National Instructional Materials Adoption Scorecard and Outlook to 2028 examines how state-level instructional materials decisions evolved during the 2022–2023 adoption cycle and identifies the policy forces expected to shape the market through the next several years. States continued to adjust their instructional expectations in response to persistent proficiency gaps in reading and mathematics, prompting new standards, updated frameworks, and expanded review processes. These shifts resulted in an adoption environment defined less by volume and more by structural change, with states placing heightened emphasis on alignment, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making.

State Priorities and Policy Drivers

The report highlights the growing influence of state legislatures on instructional materials reviews. Requirements related to literacy instruction, curriculum transparency, parental oversight, and the definition of “appropriate” content have increasingly shaped evaluation rubrics and approval pathways. Several states introduced new literacy and numeracy initiatives aimed at reversing performance declines, leading to revisions in early reading requirements and expanded expectations for foundational skills. Updates to science, social studies, financial literacy, and career and technical education frameworks also broadened the subject areas under active review.

Results of the 2022–2023 Adoption Year

Adoption activity varied considerably across states. Florida’s high-profile social studies adoption, Texas’ subject-area reviews, and North Carolina’s multi-grade evaluations illustrate the complexity of operating in states with evolving standards and politically visible review processes. Other states, including Alabama and Louisiana, advanced adoption work tied to early literacy and core subject updates. Marketplace outcomes reflected both continuity and change: established publishers retained strong positions in major reviews, while specialized providers found opportunities in emerging subject areas driven by new mandates.

Outlook Through 2028

Looking ahead, adoption activity is expected to remain steady as states prepare for additional standards updates and new subject-area cycles. The 2024–2028 period includes significant upcoming reviews in literacy, mathematics, science, and CTE, as well as expanded activity tied to civics and financial literacy. States continue to refine their evaluation criteria, often adding layers of scrutiny or customization that increase development demands for publishers. As adoption cycles progress, instructional materials providers will need to monitor legislative changes closely and anticipate how shifting state expectations influence content, alignment requirements, and submission schedules.

National Instructional Materials Adoption Scorecard and Outlook to 2028 Report Details

Leading Companies Driving Trends in the National PreK-12 Instructional Materials Adoption

Instructional Materials Adoption Landscape

The instructional materials adoption environment in the United States continues to evolve as states refine their expectations for curriculum alignment, transparency, and instructional coherence. During the 2022–2023 cycle, updated literacy and numeracy mandates, expanded requirements in civics and financial literacy, and revisions to science and social studies standards shaped the structure of statewide and district-level reviews. These developments signal a more rigorous and policy-driven adoption environment heading into the 2024–2028 period.

States adopting new or revised frameworks increasingly expect publishers to demonstrate alignment not only to standards, but also to state-developed rubrics and mandated content elements. These shifts offer opportunities for programs that meet clarity, evidence-based instructional requirements, and emerging subject-area needs.

State Policy Shifts and Their Influence on Reviews

Legislative activity is playing a larger role in adoption cycles, influencing review timelines, evaluation processes, and the scope of qualifying materials. In several states, new literacy legislation led to revised early-grade expectations that will shape upcoming ELA and foundational reading reviews. Similarly, the expansion of civics and financial literacy requirements has opened new cycles for materials previously reviewed less frequently.

Districts in open-territory states are adopting more structured evaluation processes that mirror statewide criteria, reflecting broader expectations for transparency and alignment.