CLOSING THE GAP: Menlo Park, Calif.-based nonprofit Open Up Resources launched today with $10 million in foundation funding. In partnership with Illustrative Mathematics, the nonprofit is introducing a math curriculum that will be used in 30 middle schools across five districts, with a general release slated for the 2017-2018 school year. A K-5 English Language Arts curriculum is also expected later this year.
Led by CEO Larry Singer, the nonprofit formerly known as K-12 OER Collaborative develops open-licensed digital curricula aligned with state standards. Open Up Resources claims its product can save districts up to 80 percent in costs compared to programs offered by the big providers. “The combination of best-in-class quality and dramatically lower adoption costs will blow the competition away,” Singer says.