Create a State Variant

This guide walks you through creating a state variant of your curriculum—a version customized for specific state standards, terminology, or requirements while maintaining a connection to your base curriculum.

What is a State Variant?

A state variant is a child curriculum that:

• Inherits content from a parent (base) curriculum
• Overrides specific content for state requirements
• Stays synchronized when the parent updates
• Maintains its customizations through parent changes

Common use cases:
- Aligning to state-specific standards (TEKS, NGSS, state ELA)
- Adjusting terminology or examples for regional context
- Adding state-required content sections
- Removing content not applicable to a state

Prerequisites

Before creating a variant:

• Have a complete or near-complete base curriculum
• Know which state standards you're targeting
• Identify what content needs customization
• Have the state's standard set available in CurryCMS

Step 1: Create the Variant

From the Base Curriculum

1. Open your base curriculum
2. Click Create Variant in the toolbar
3. Enter variant details:
   • Name: "Grade 3 Math - Texas Edition"
   • Description: Note the target state and purpose
4. Click Create Variant

The system creates a new curriculum that inherits all content from the parent.

Verify the Connection

In your new variant:

1. Check the header shows "Variant of: [Parent Name]"
2. Browse the tree—all nodes should be present
3. Content displays with inheritance indicators

Step 2: Align to State Standards

Add the State Standard Set

If not already available:

1. Navigate to Standards in admin settings
2. Click Import Standard Set
3. Select or upload your state's standards
4. Verify the standards appear in the picker

Replace Alignments

For each node that needs state-specific alignment:

1. Open the node for editing
2. Navigate to Standards section
3. Remove inherited national standards (if replacing)
4. Click Add Alignment
5. Search for and select state standards
6. Save the node

The node now shows as "overridden" with your state alignments.

Bulk Alignment Strategies

For efficient alignment across many nodes:

See Standards Crosswalks for mapping between standard sets.

Step 3: Customize Content

Override Inherited Content

When content needs state-specific changes:

1. Navigate to the node in your variant
2. Click Edit
3. Modify the content as needed
4. Save

The node is now "overridden"—it won't change when the parent updates.

Common Customizations

Add State-Specific Nodes

If your state requires additional content:

1. Navigate to the appropriate parent node
2. Click Add Child
3. Create the new content
4. This node exists only in your variant

Hide Irrelevant Content

For content not applicable to your state:

1. Navigate to the node
2. Click Edit
3. Set status to "Hidden" or mark as not applicable
4. The content won't appear in published editions

Step 4: Manage Inheritance

Understanding Override Status

Each node shows its inheritance state:

Reviewing Parent Updates

When the parent curriculum updates:

1. Check your dashboard for "Parent Updated" notifications
2. Review each flagged node
3. Decide to:
   • Accept update: Merge parent changes
   • Keep override: Maintain your version
   • Merge manually: Combine both versions

Reverting Overrides

To restore inheritance for a node:

1. Open the overridden node
2. Click Revert to Parent
3. Confirm the action
4. The node now inherits from parent again

Step 5: Verify Your Variant

Compare with Parent

Use the comparison tool to review differences:

1. Open your variant
2. Click Compare in the toolbar
3. Select the parent curriculum
4. Review all differences

See Curriculum Comparison for detailed comparison features.

Check Standards Coverage

Verify your state standards are properly covered:

1. Navigate to Standards Coverage
2. Select your state's standard set
3. Review the coverage report
4. Address any gaps

See Achieve Standards Coverage for coverage strategies.

Quality Review

Before publishing:

• [ ] All required state standards aligned
• [ ] State-specific terminology applied
• [ ] Examples are regionally appropriate
• [ ] No broken cross-references
• [ ] Review workflow completed

Step 6: Publish the Variant

When ready to release:

1. Complete the review workflow for all nodes
2. Navigate to Editions
3. Click New Edition
4. Name it (e.g., "Texas 2024-2025")
5. Create the edition

The variant edition is independent—parent changes won't affect it.

Managing Multiple State Variants

Organizational Strategies

For publishers with many states:

Base Curriculum: Grade 3 Mathematics
├── Texas Edition (TEKS aligned)
├── California Edition (CA CCSS aligned)
├── Florida Edition (B.E.S.T. aligned)
└── New York Edition (NY Standards aligned)

Efficient Workflows

1. Complete base first - Minimize rework across variants
2. Track in spreadsheet - Which states need which changes
3. Batch similar states - States with similar standards together
4. Template overrides - Document common changes for consistency

Common Issues

"Cannot create variant"

Check that:
- You have permission to create curricula
- The base curriculum isn't itself a variant of a variant (only one level deep)

"Override not saving"

Ensure you:
- Click Save after making changes
- Have edit permission on the variant
- Aren't in read-only view

"Parent changes not appearing"

Overridden nodes don't auto-update. Check if the node was previously overridden.

Tips for Success

1. Document your changes - Keep notes on what and why you customized
2. Use comparison regularly - Catch drift from parent early
3. Align before override - Standards alignment often triggers needed overrides
4. Test with real teachers - State educators can verify appropriateness
5. Version your editions - Clear naming for each school year

Related Documentation:
- Using Variants - Deep dive on variant features
- Curriculum Comparison - Compare curricula
- Standards Alignment - Alignment process
- Publishing Editions - Create releases