NM PED 2026 Literacy and Humanities Summer Conference

Curriculum decision-makers frequently ask, “Does my curriculum truly align with the Science of Reading?” While many publishers make this claim, determining what constitutes genuine evidence alignment, and how it differs from standards alignment, remains a persistent challenge.

This session introduces the forthcoming 4th Edition of the Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines, developed by The Reading League to support schools and districts in making informed, research-based curriculum decisions. With an increased emphasis on oral language and reading comprehension, the updated guidelines reflect the depth and breadth of the current research base on how students learn to read.

Participants will engage with key concepts from the research and learn to identify both evidence-aligned practices and common “red flags” found in instructional materials. The session will also highlight how to use Curriculum Navigation Reports as a practical tool for evaluating the extent to which curricula address each component of evidence-aligned reading instruction. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of what true alignment looks like in practice and actionable strategies to ensure that instructional materials support strong, coherent language and literacy development for all students.