More Publishers Adopt Lexile Measures in Response to the Common Core State Standards

DURHAM, NC--(Marketwired - Sep 10, 2013) - MetaMetrics®, developer of the widely adopted Lexile® Framework for Reading, has witnessed a substantial increase in the number of publishers providing Lexile® measures for their books as a result of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. With nearly all states adopting the Common Core State Standards for college and career readiness, the importance of measuring text complexity has gained national attention.

The Standards for English Language Arts (of the CCSS) recommend Lexile measures for evaluating text complexity and offer Lexile grade bands to guide publishers in developing grade level content. These grade and Lexile bands are the basis for determining at what text complexity level students should be reading and at which grades. By knowing a student's Lexile measure and the Lexile measure of a book, educators are able to support differentiated instruction and track student performance towards college and career readiness.

"Improving education nationwide is a team effort," said MetaMetrics President and Co-founder Malbert Smith III, Ph.D. "That's why it's so encouraging to see publishers further the objectives of the Common Core State Standards by recognizing the value of adding Lexile measures to their texts and digital content products."

Since the inception of the Common Core State Standards, more and more publishers have added Lexile measures for their reading materials every year. From 2010 to 2012, the number of publishers adopting Lexile measures increased 84 percent, resulting in a record number of publishing partnerships in 2012. The number of partnerships with publishers continues to grow as 2013 appears to be another record breaking year. In addition to the growth in publishers seeking certified Lexile measures for their materials, more educational companies and organizations than ever before have licensed the popular Lexile Titles Database and Lexile® Analyzer.

The publishing community has recognized the distinct value Lexile measures provide for all type of texts:

"Since the launch of myON, we have long recognized the importance of matching readers with level-appropriate texts, and with the adoption of the Common Core, this mission has never been more relevant," said myON President Todd Brekhus. "Lexile measures utilized within myON reader, the world's largest personalized literacy program, help prepare students for college and careers by ensuring they are reading rigorous text."

"At Teacher Created Materials, we publish books that not only align with all State and National Standards, but that also inspire children to become lifelong readers. We take pride in creating imaginative and visually exciting materials that invite participation with a deep understanding of the specific needs of today's student. Lexile measures have provided us with one yardstick for classifying our books and ensuring that we have a range of reading levels to meet the varying needs of students in both fiction and nonfiction genres," said Teacher Created Materials Director of Education Susan Copeland.

Today, Lexile measures are used at the school level in all 50 states, and 20 states report Lexile measures statewide on their year-end assessments. Each year, more than 30 million Lexile measures are reported from reading assessments and programs, representing over half of U.S. students. The Lexile Framework differs from other readability formulas in that it measures both text complexity and reading ability on the same developmental scale, enabling students' comprehension rates to be forecasted for specific reading materials and to monitor their progress toward college and career text demands.

About MetaMetrics
MetaMetrics is focused on improving education for learners of all ages and ability levels. The organization develops scientific measures of academic achievement and complementary technologies that link assessment results with real-world instruction. MetaMetrics' products and services for reading (The Lexile® Framework for Reading, El Sistema Lexile para Leer), mathematics (The Quantile® Framework for Mathematics), and writing (The Lexile Framework for Writing) provide unique insights about academic ability and the potential for growth, enabling individuals to achieve their goals at every stage of development. Connect with the organization at: http://blog.lexile.com.