NYSED has launched EngageNY, a website that provides a number of resources, including text exemplars aligned to the Common Core Standards. These text exemplars provide models of how to develop all students’ ability to engage with complex texts, including the use of text-dependent questions to ensure that students draw explicitly on the text to support their comprehension. Additionally, the text exemplars demonstrate how short rich texts can be a valuable resource for instruction and expose students to complex ideas. Educators may choose to incorporate these text exemplars into a unit of study or use them as a model as they design experiences for all students to engage successfully with complex texts aligned to the Common Core Standards within their curriculum. Click on the links below for text exemplars at each grade band.

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School

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  A Discussion of "Increasing Text Complexity"
  This article by Karin Hess and Sue Biggam provides an introduction to text complexity by explaining the factors that influence text complexity and reading expectations by grade level.
  
  
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  Adolescent Literacy Fact Sheet
  This fact sheet produced by the Alliance for Excellent Education shows that American students are unprepared for the competitive workplace when they leave school because they are falling behind in reading abilities. However, the brief states that high-quality instruction can help struggling readers catch up to grade level.
  
  
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  Supporting Adolescent Literacy Achievement
  This issue brief from the NGA Center for Best Practices offers recommendations for states to support adolescent literacy achievement. The recommendations are based on best practices from states that received NGA assistance to build a K-12 literacy program.
  
  
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  Adolescent Literacy and the Achievement Gap: What Do We Know and Where Do We Go From Here?
  This paper from the Carnegie Corporation of New York relates findings from the Adolescent Literacy Funders meeting. Specifically, the meeting report reviews facts about the achievement gap, how it relates to literacy, and offers instructional strategies to help struggling readers.
  
  
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  Teaching Disciplinary Literacy to Adolescents: Rethinking Content-Area Literacy
  This article suggests that “disciplinary literacy” — advanced literacy instruction embedded within content-area classes such as math, science, and social studies — should be a focus of middle and secondary school settings.
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  Active Literacy Across the Curriculum
  Chapter 1 from Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs' book "Active Literacy Across the Curriculum" suggests that all teachers, regardless of content area, must engage in literacy strategies with students. She offers seven strategies for building literacy into curriculum.