I taught in a small village last year. The kids were all 4-5 grades below level. I was given an hour to teach 4 different sections/books. How do you teach a lesson in 10 minutes? The sch dist curriculum required a math series that was way over their heads. Lots of reading paragraphs to solve problems. Probably good for some kids but it wasn't working with my class; so I dug out some of those old orange alg I Saxons and the kids actually learned some skills. I was just lucky I didn't get caught by the district administration.
Alot of older teachers would prefer Saxon Math in curriculum. Main reason I think it is not being used is because today we spend all our time teaching for benchmark testing and exit/qualifying exams. Many of the tests award partial credit if the student can develop say the equation needed to solve the problem from reading the paragraph. Kids can pass the test if they can at least set the problems up. Don't matter that they lack the skills to solve it, crazy. This is one of the drawbacks with all the govt testing in our schools.
But then, what do I know. I'm just another teacher mostly teaching classes out of his certified areas and loving it. Luv those old Saxon Math Books just the same.