September 2019 Committee on Instruction Item 5
Approval of Update of Instructional Materials for ThinkCERCA
September 13, 2019
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides an opportunity for the committee and board to confirm content changes approved at the June 2019 State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting were made in the ThinkCERCA, Texas Edition, for English language arts and reading, grades 6–8.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.003 and §31.022.
TEC, §31.003, permits the SBOE to adopt rules for the adoption, requisition, distribution, care, use, and disposal of instructional materials.
TEC, §31.022(b), requires the SBOE to adopt rules to provide for a full and complete investigation of instructional materials for each subject in the foundation curriculum and for each subject in the enrichment curriculum.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: English language arts and reading instructional materials from ThinkCERCA were adopted in November 2018 under Proclamation 2019. This item was first presented at the April 2019 meeting. At that time, the SBOE postponed action until the June 2019 meeting to allow ThinkCERCA to address concerns raised by board members. At the June 2019 meeting, the board approved changes to the materials provided that members of the Committee on Instruction were provided access to the online materials and that the matter be placed on the September agenda to allow the committee to confirm that changes were made.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: Texas Administrative Code §66.75 permits a publisher to submit a request for approval to substitute an updated edition of state-adopted instructional materials. This section also requires that all requests for updates involving content in state-adopted instructional materials be approved by the SBOE prior to their introduction into state-adopted instructional materials. ThinkCERCA, Texas Edition, Grade 6 (9780999856130), ThinkCERCA, Texas Edition, Grade 7 (9780999856147), and ThinkCERCA, Texas Edition, Grade 8 (9780999856178), published by ThinkCERCA, underwent review by state review panels in the summer of 2018. ThinkCERCA, Texas Edition, Grade 6 was found to have 93.65% TEKS coverage, ThinkCERCA, Texas Edition, Grade 7 was found to have 93.65% TEKS coverage, and ThinkCERCA, Texas Edition, Grade 8 was found to have 93.75% TEKS coverage.
PUBLIC BENEFIT AND COST TO PERSONS: Product updates provide more accurate student and teacher instructional materials. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposal.
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Support Services
Kelly Callaway, Senior Director, Instructional Materials