Could Texas’ new state-crafted lessons boost children’s reading?

Texas Education Agency unveils new materials that officials say are highly structured, aligned with standards and accessible for all teachers to download.

Roughly half of Texas students read below grade level, but when teachers craft lessons to help them, they often rely on instructional materials that aren’t rigorous enough.

Many teachers use search engines to help them build their lessons — and if you Google for “grade five reading materials,” one story that comes up is called Tuttle the Turtle. That passage is more reflective of a third-grade reading level than that of a fifth grader, Texas’ top education official said.