Skip to main content

November 19, 2024 Committee of the Full Board Item 2

Discussion of Local Review of Classroom Instructional Materials and Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 67, State Review and Approval of Instructional Materials, Subchapter C, Local Operations, §67.69, Local Review of Classroom Instructional Materials

November 19, 2024

COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION

SUMMARY: This item provides an opportunity for the committee to discuss rubrics related to local classroom reviews and proposed new 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 67, State Review and Approval of Instructional Materials, Subchapter C, Local Operations, §67.69, Local Review of Classroom Instructional Materials.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.003(a); and §31.0252, as added by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.

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

TEC, §31.0252, as added by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop a rubric, approved by the SBOE, to determine if reviewed instructional material complies with the rigor requirements described by TEC, §31.0252(a)(2).

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

FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: Proposed new 19 TAC §67.69 will be presented for first reading and filing authorization at the January 2025 SBOE meeting.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, significantly revised TEC, Chapter 31, including adding a provision for local classroom reviews of instructional materials.

TEC, §31.0252(a), requires that TEA develop standards in consultation with stakeholders, including educators, by which a school district is authorized to conduct a review of instructional materials used by a classroom teacher in a foundation curriculum course under TEC, §28.002(a)(1), to determine the degree to which the material corresponds with the instructional materials adopted by the school district or campus and meets the level of rigor of the knowledge and skills adopted under TEC, §28.002, for the grade level in which it is being used.

TEC, §31.0252(b), also requires TEA to develop a rubric, approved by SBOE, to determine if reviewed instructional material complies with the rigor requirements.

At the June 2023 SBOE meeting, the Committee of the Full Board held a work session to receive an overview presentation on HB 1605 from the commissioner of education and begin discussing preliminary decisions and next steps. The June 2023 SBOE HB 1605 Work Session Presentation shared during the work session is available on the TEA website at https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-education/sbo….

At the August-September 2023 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board discussed the instructional materials review and approval process and discussed the approach to developing the quality rubric criteria and process.

Proposed new 19 TAC §67.69 would clarify the conditions under which a review would be conducted, and the SBOE may include additional rules to support the implementation of TEC, §31.0252.

Staff Member Responsible:
Colin Dempsey, Director, District Operations, Technology, and Sustainability Supports 

Separate Exhibit I:
Decision Points and Considerations for Proposed New Rules

Separate Exhibit II:
Draft Rubrics for Local Classroom Instructional Materials Reviews

(separate exhibits are to be provided in advance of the November 2024 SBOE meeting)