The most recent Texas State Board of Education meeting yielded a new rubric for the instructional materials review process and more.
From January 30 to February 2, State Board of Education (SBOE) members convened to review and approve a suitability rubric to help bring high-quality and appropriate instructional materials to classrooms in taxpayer-funded institutions across Texas. This framework was set to ensure that the instructional materials being used in schools are up to par.
As a result, English and Language Arts (ELA) for grades K-3 and 4-8, Second Language Acquisition (SLA) for grades K-3 and 4-6, and Math for grades K-12 now all have SBOE-approved Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Quality Rubrics.
As previously covered in The Dallas Express, the SBOE was tasked with approving an instructional materials review process after the passing of HB 1605. The education bill substantially increased the body’s authority in hopes that its oversight of instructional materials would see them align better with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards, improve student outcomes, and be free of “obscene or harmful content.”
“It’s always an honor to talk about good legislation that I think will benefit kids,” Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Killeen), the author of HB 1605, told the SBOE at the time, as previously covered in The Dallas Express. “When we have the opportunity to make good reform and impact student achievement, I think that is the way to go.”
Nevertheless, the SBOE has had considerable work to do, establishing criteria in line with TEKS, determining what is and is not appropriate subject matter for each grade level, maintaining compliance with state laws, and empowering parents with regard to instructional materials.
In December, the SBOE went over the IMRA framework, an initial set of quality rubrics for the IMRA process, and the suitability criteria and rubric for the IMRA process.
Alongside finalizing these rubrics, the SBOE also tackled the Dyslexia Handbook: Procedures Concerning Dyslexia and Related Disorders (DH) during its recent meeting.
Last updated in 2021, the DH was targeted for revision by HB 3928 with the goals of streamlining its standard protocol for dyslexia instruction as well as outlining the qualification and training requirements for those assessing whether students have dyslexia or not.
The SBOE has until June 30 to update the DH.
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