Report from the Commissioner of Education Regarding Instructional Materials Offered for Adoption under Proclamation 2018

November 10, 2017

COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION

SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to adopt materials submitted for review in response to Proclamation 2018. The board issued Proclamation 2018 in November 2016 calling for materials covering ethnic studies including, but not limited to, African American studies, Mexican American studies, Asian American studies, and Native American studies, to be used in Special Topics in Social Studies. Products submitted in response to Proclamation 2018 were reviewed in the summer of 2017. The item presents the final report from the commissioner of education regarding the coverage of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), alleged factual errors, and information regarding whether a publisher on the list has previously refused to rebid instructional materials.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.023 and §31.024.

TEC, §31.023, requires the SBOE to adopt a list of instructional materials that meet applicable physical specifications and contain material covering at least half of the applicable Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in the student version and in the teacher version.

TEC §31.024, requires the SBOE to make decisions on the adopted list by majority vote and to provide a list of adopted materials no later than December 1 of the year prior to the year the materials are expected to be in classrooms.

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE called for instructional materials in Special Topics in Social Studies in Proclamation 2017, which was issued in April 2015 and amended in April 2016. The board did not adopt social studies materials submitted in response to that call. The board issued Proclamation 2018 calling for Special Topics in Social Studies materials in November 2016.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The board issued Proclamation 2018 at its November 2016 meeting. The review of Proclamation 2018 instructional materials concluded in August 2017.

FISCAL IMPACT: None.

PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: A public hearing was held on September 13, 2017 and November 7, 2017.

OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES:
A public hearing regarding instructional materials submitted for adoption by the SBOE under Proclamation 2018 is included as a separate item in this agenda.

Ratification of Proclamation 2018 Deadline Extension for Publisher affected by Hurricane Harvey is included as a separate action item in this agenda.

MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:

Require that all publishers make corrections listed in the Report of Required Corrections of Factual Errors;

Require that all instructional materials meet established manufacturing standards and specifications;

Approve changes and corrections submitted in response to written comments and public testimony;

Place instructional materials submitted for adoption on the adopted list as indicated on the List of Instructional Materials Eligible for Adoption Under Proclamation 2018.

Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Support Services

Kelly Callaway, Senior Director
Instructional Materials

Attachments:
I. Statutory Citations (PDF, 41KB)
II. Proclamation 2018 Instructional Materials Eligible for Adoption (PDF, 111KB)

Separate Exhibits:
Proclamation 2018 Corrections and Editorial Changes
Proclamation 2018 Public-Reported Errors and Comments