Last week, we previewed the public hearing the State Board of Education (SBOE) will conduct related to House Bill (HB) 1605 and the proposed instruction materials for mathematics and English and Spanish language arts and reading. The full board agenda has been published, and the hearing will take place as the first order of business on Tuesday, Sept.10, at 8 a.m. CT.
In addition to what is expected to be a lengthy hearing on instructional materials, the board has an incredibly full agenda of items to discuss and take action on; several will be consequential for the next year(s) of work for the SBOE.
What’s on the SBOE Agenda
On Tuesday, following the public hearing and an update on the current Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) cycle, the board will hear several other items related to instructional materials. The board is expected to:
- adopt rules to address the removal of a set of instructional materials from the lists of approved and rejected instructional materials;
- discuss the schedule for future IMRA cycles, including the development timeline for quality rubrics, as well as the future review and revision of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS);
- discuss draft rubrics for the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Cycle 2025;
- establish a minimum threshold for TEKS alignment for instructional materials for enrichment subjects and courses by defining the criteria to be used in the review and approval of instructional materials; and
- discuss a full slate of proposed new rules appointment, training, and duties of IMRA reviewers, outlining the procedures for IMRA public access and public comment and specifying procedures for materials to be updated or revised following approval by the board. The proposed new sections would also outline the procedures for local districts to adopt instructional materials and clarify procedures for the local review of classroom materials.
If that sounds exhausting, it likely will be. We anticipate a late night on Tuesday.
Wednesday will begin as always with remarks from Commissioner Mike Morath. The nature of his comments is not published as part of the agenda but given the public response to the Bible-infused K-5 reading materials, one might expect some sort of damage control. Also, on that day, the board will discuss requirements for school board member training and the ongoing work to develop an advanced mathematics pathway in middle school and a broader discussion of math instruction. The SBOE is also expected to adopt revised English language proficiency standards and discuss proposed new TEKS for certain career and technical education (CTE) courses that are currently approved innovative courses.
Of particular note on Wednesday, the board will receive an update from the Texas Permanent School Fund Corporation’s chief executive officer, discuss their disbursement from the Permanent School Fund (PSF) to the Available School Fund (ASF) for the next biennium, and get a preview of the agency’s legislative appropriations request (LAR).
Committee work on Thursday is light in comparison. We will be interested in the charter application update in the Committee on School Initiatives and proposed changes to the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students in the Committee on Instruction.
Ways You Can Take Action
Electronic signup closed at 5 p.m. Friday, but it is not too late to take action on the proposed instructional materials. Should you want to testify in person, you may sign up with SBOE staff at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting (7:30 a.m.) on Tuesday. You may also submit written testimony to testimony@sboe.texas.gov.
You can also still send a letter to SBOE members to let them know you stand in favor of academic freedom and against promotion of religion in our public schools. You can find out who represents you and send your own letter or use our action to quickly voice your concerns to the board.
Should you have any questions or need assistance in preparing for or submitting testimony, please contact Kelsey Kling, kkling@texasaft.org.