Report and Recommendations from the Commissioner of Education Regarding
Instructional Materials Offered for Adoption under The Request for
Supplemental Science Materials
July 22, 2011
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: The Request for Supplemental Science Materials of the State Board of Education (SBOE) calls for new supplemental science instructional materials to be used in school districts and open-enrollment charter schools beginning in school year 2011-2012. The Request for Supplemental Science Materials includes science, grades 5-8; Biology; Chemistry; Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC); and Physics. This item will present the report and recommendations from the commissioner of education that the supplemental instructional materials offered for adoption be placed on the adopted list or be rejected. Recommendations will also be made regarding manufacturing standards and specifications and correction of factual errors to be required in adopted materials.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.035.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The request for supplemental science instructional materials was issued by the SBOE in May 2010. The SBOE approved the Question and Answer document in July 2010. In September 2010, the board adopted a new timeline for the submission, review, and adoption of instructional materials. The Question and Answer document was also amended to reflect the new timeline changes.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The TEC, §31.035, provides that the SBOE can adopt supplemental textbooks that meets applicable specifications adopted by the SBOE and contains material covering one or more primary focal points or primary topics of a subject in the required curriculum. In addition, TEC, §31.035, requires that each textbook be free from factual errors at the time the contracts are executed.
The commissioner's preliminary reports on conforming instructional materials were transmitted to publishers in July 2011. Publishers had several options following receipt of the preliminary recommendations: (1) they could agree with the recommendations and take no action; (2) they could provide documentation supporting coverage of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in their original submissions; (3) they could submit new content to cover TEKS considered not addressed; or (4) they could employ any combination of these options. Publishers also had the option of requesting that they be allowed to withdraw their submissions due to the recommendation in the preliminary report.
The Report of the Commissioner of Education Concerning Required Corrections of Factual Errors lists factual errors that publishers must agree to correct as a condition of adoption. The report is based on review by staff, recommended corrections submitted by members of the public, and comments filed by the state textbook review panel members.
Publishers will be required to verify that all corrections required as a condition of adoption have been made. Publishers will also be required to file with the agency one corrected copy of student and teacher components that incorporate all required corrections.
FISCAL IMPACT: The projected two-year expenditure for the purchase of new instructional materials purchased under The Request for Supplemental Science Materials is approximately $60,000,000.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: The adoption of supplemental science materials will provide instructional materials that cover the new and expanded Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for science, grades 5-8; Biology; Chemistry; Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC); and Physics.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: Adopted materials will be included in the Educational Materials and Textbooks (EMAT) online system.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: A public hearing is scheduled as a separate item in this agenda.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: Rules in 19 TAC §66.66(d) state, "The SBOE may allow a publisher to withdraw from the adoption process after the date specified in the proclamation due to recommended placement on a conforming or nonconforming list, manufacturing specifications required as a condition of adoption by the SBOE that the publisher states cannot be met, or failure to agree to make corrections required by the SBOE." If requests to withdraw are made by publishers prior to the July SBOE meeting, or if a change in the recommendations occurs following a show-cause hearing, a revised agenda item will be made available to the SBOE.
COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the State Board of Education:
Require that all publishers make corrections listed in the Report of the Commissioner of Education Concerning Required Corrections of Factual Errors;
Require that all student instructional materials meet established manufacturing standards and specifications, meet minimum web-based publishing standards, and meet the technical standards of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, Section 508;
Approve changes and corrections in lists submitted by publishers to the agency and in response to written comments and public testimony; and
Place the instructional materials submitted for adoption on the Adopted List as indicated on the Final Recommendations of the Commissioner of Education Regarding Instructional Materials Offered for Adoption under the Request for Supplemental Science Materials.
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
Attachment:
Statutory Citations Relating to Report and Recommendations from the Commissioner of Education Regarding Instructional Materials Offered for Adoption under The Request for Supplemental Science Materials
Separate Exhibits:
I. Final Recommendations of the Commissioner of Education Regarding Instructional Materials Offered for Adoption under The Request for Supplemental Science Materials
II. Report of the Commissioner of Education Concerning Required Corrections of Factual Errors
(to be provided prior to the July SBOE meeting)