Proclamation 2012 of the State Board of Education Advertising for Bids on Instructional Materials
September 18, 2009
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: Proclamation 2012 advertises for bids on new instructional materials to be used by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools beginning in school year 2012-2013. The proposed proclamation contains Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in each subject for which bids are being invited, an average cost to the state for adopted instructional materials in each subject for which bids are being invited, an estimated number of units to be purchased during the first contract year for each subject in the proclamation, specifications for providing computerized files to produce Braille versions of adopted instructional materials, and a schedule for the adoption by the State Board of Education (SBOE) in November 2011. Subjects and grade levels proposed for Proclamation 2012 include Science, Grades K-12; Spanish Science, Grades K-6; and Engineering. In July 2009, the board postponed action on Proclamation 2012 until the September 2009 meeting.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.022.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE approved a review and adoption cycle for instructional materials that calls for single-subject adoptions beginning with Proclamation 1998. The review and adoption cycle was amended in May 2000, July 2004, and again in September 2007. At the September 2007 board meeting it was requested that Engineering be considered in conjunction with Science. The cycle was revised to reflect this decision.
In accordance with Section 13.04 of House Bill 1, 79th Texas Legislature, Third Called Session, Proclamation 2006 was not issued. Proclamation 2010 was approved by the SBOE in November 2007. Proclamation 2011 was approved by the SBOE in May 2008. A draft of Proclamation 2012 was presented to the SBOE for discussion in March 2009. In July 2009, the board postponed action on Proclamation 2012 until the September 2009 meeting.
Science was last adopted in 2001 under Proclamation 1999 and implemented in the 2002-2003 school year. Biology was last adopted in 2003 under Proclamation 2001 and implemented in the 2004-2005 school year.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The current adoption cycle for instructional materials was approved by the SBOE in September 2007. House Bill 188, passed by the 80th Texas Legislature, requires the SBOE to designate each proclamation by the school year in which the textbooks are intended to be made available in classrooms and not by the school year in which the board makes the request for production. The board conducted a work session in August 2009 to review publishers’ updated bid prices and to explore options for moving forward with Proclamations 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Proclamation 2012 includes Science, Grades K-12; Spanish Science, Grades K-6; and Engineering.
FISCAL IMPACT: The estimated cost to the state for new instructional materials in each subject is based on costs established by the board and the estimated number of units that will be purchased.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: If Proclamation 2012 is issued, new instructional materials would be scheduled for adoption in November 2011 for use beginning in school year 2012-2013.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: In accordance with 19 Texas Administrative Code §66.27(c), a copy of the draft Proclamation 2012 was provided to designated representatives of the publishing industry to solicit input on the maximum costs and comment on the content of Proclamation 2012. A public meeting with representatives of the publishing industry was held in July 2009.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: Recent legislative changes require the SBOE to review the current cycle for the adoption of instructional materials. The addition of a mid-cycle review, submission of supplemental materials, and a textbook credit program will require coordination with the revision of 19 TAC Chapter 66, State Adoption and Distribution of Instructional Materials. An item addressing this revision is included separately in this agenda.
COMMISSIONER’S RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the State Board of Education:
Postpone the issuance of Proclamation 2012 of the State Board of Education Advertising for Bids on Instructional 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