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November 18, 2024 Committee of the Full Board Item 4

Approval of Proposed Quality Rubrics for Instructional Materials Review and Approval Cycle 2025 and Amendments to Existing Rubrics

November 22, 2024

COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION

SUMMARY: This item provides an opportunity for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to approve rubrics for the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Cycle 2025, including edits to the existing quality rubrics approved in February 2024.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§31.003(a), 31.022, and 31.023 as amended by House Bill (HB) 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.

TEC, §31.003(a), permits the SBOE to adopt rules for the adoption, requisition, distribution, care, use, and disposal of instructional materials.

TEC, §31.022, as amended by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, requires the SBOE to review instructional materials that have been provided to the board by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) under TEC, §31.023.

TEC, §31.023, as amended by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, requires the commissioner of education to establish, in consultation with and with the approval of the SBOE, a process for the annual review of instructional materials by TEA. In conducting a review under this section, TEA must use a rubric developed by TEA in consultation with and approved by the SBOE.

The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: At the August-September 2023 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board (COFB) discussed the IMRA process and discussed the approach to developing the quality rubric criteria and process.

At the February 2024 meeting, the board approved IMRA Quality Rubrics aligned to K–3 and 4–8 English language arts and reading, K–3 and 4–6 Spanish language arts and reading, and K–12 mathematics.

At the June 2024 meeting, the COFB discussed a multi-year timeline for IMRA cycles including the development of quality rubrics.

The COFB also discussed IMRA Cycle 2025 draft rubrics and the after-action report where there were findings for some improvements to the existing quality rubrics at the September 2024 meeting.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: TEC, Chapter 31, addresses instructional materials in public education and permits the SBOE to adopt rules for the adoption, requisition, distribution, care, use, and disposal of instructional materials. HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, significantly revises TEC, Chapter 31, including several provisions under SBOE authority. HB 1605 also added a new provision to TEC, Chapter 48, to provide additional funding to school districts and charter schools that adopt and implement SBOE approved materials. 

TEC, 31.002 as amended by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, expanded the definition of instructional materials to include full-subject, tier-one; partial-subject, tier-one; and supplemental instructional materials.

PUBLIC BENEFIT AND COST TO PERSONS: The proposal would benefit the public through adding clarity to the instructional materials quality review and approval process resulting from the implementation of HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.  There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposal. 

PUBLIC COMMENTS: A summary of public feedback on the new quality rubrics for supplemental mathematics instructional materials will be presented to the board at the November 2024 meeting.

MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:

Approve the quality rubrics for the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process.

Staff Members Responsible:
Todd Davis, Associate Commissioner of Instructional Strategy 
Colin Dempsey, Director, District Operations, Technology, and Sustainability Supports                                         

Separate Exhibit I:     
Draft IMRA Quality Rubrics for Cycle 2025

Separate Exhibit II:    
Proposed Updates to Existing IMRA Quality Rubrics

(separate exhibits to be provided at November 2024 SBOE meeting)