Production of Large Type Materials for Texas Public Schools
July 23, 2010
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL FINANCE/PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item proposes acceptance of a proposal for production of large type versions of the textbooks scheduled to be adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) in November 2010. At that time, the board is scheduled to award a production contract based on the recommendations of a review panel of outstanding Texas teachers of the visually impaired.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.028.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: Each July of a year in which instructional materials are adopted, the board considers procedures for obtaining bids for the production of large type textbooks.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: TEC, §31.028(a), authorizes the board to purchase special textbooks for the education of public school students with visual impairments and teacher edition textbooks for teachers with visual impairments. The teacher editions must be available at the same time the student edition textbooks become available. The textbooks shall be acquired in accordance with TEC, Chapter 31, Subchapter B, State Funding, Adoption, and Purchase, and any applicable rule adopted by the board.
In the past, board members, teachers and parents have asked about the possibility of acquiring large type materials in color. Although the cost of large type materials in color has been declining in recent years, it is not yet feasible to purchase them in color; however, acquisition of books with multicolor outer covers is entirely feasible. Therefore, the agency is seeking to acquire large type materials with outside covers which look the same as those used for regular print materials.
The request for proposal (RFP) included as a separate exhibit to this item has been designed to ensure that Texas students receive high quality large type materials, delivered on time, at the most economical price. A notice of the RFP will be posted on the Electronic State Business Daily website, and copies will be sent to all companies which make their interest known. A panel of Texas teachers of the visually impaired will review proposals and recommend selection of a proposer based on evaluation of the producers’ detailed proposals including the price and quality of the large type sample.
The bid price of the proposer shall be in effect for the entire adoption period. The contract shall correspond to those awarded to publishers upon adoption and shall be subject to readoptions required by the SBOE. Additionally, the contract will allow for penalties to be imposed for untimely delivery of instructional materials or delivery of materials which do not meet the specifications.
FISCAL IMPACT: For school year 2011-2012, the cost of acquiring large type materials for public school students and teachers is estimated not to exceed $1,000,000. This amount includes the cost of purchasing large type versions of newly and previously adopted materials.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: Approval of a RFP at this time will allow sufficient time for submission of proposals and large type textbook samples.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: None.
COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the State Board of Education:
Approve release of a request for proposal to produce large type editions of the materials that are scheduled to be adopted by the State Board of Education in November 2010.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Scott
Commissioner of Education
Staff Members Responsible:
Anita Givens, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Programs
Norma Torres-Martinez, Deputy Associate Commissioner
Standards and Alignment
John Lopez, Managing Director
Instructional Materials and Educational Technology
Charles Mayo, Manager, Distribution and Accessibility
Instructional Materials and Educational Technology
Separate Exhibit:
Request for Proposal: Production of Large Type Textbooks for Texas Public Schools