September 9, 2025 Committee of the Full Board Item 4
Approval of Proposed Quality Rubrics for Instructional Materials Review and Approval Cycle 2026
September 12, 2025
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides an opportunity for the committee and board to approve rubrics for the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Cycle 2026.
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 links above.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: At the August–September 2023 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board 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 Committee of the Full Board discussed a multi-year timeline for IMRA cycles including the development of quality rubrics.
The Committee of the Full Board 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.
At the November 2024 meeting, the State Board of Education approved the quality rubric for supplemental math for the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process and the quality rubrics, as presented by staff, for the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process.
At the April 2025 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board discussed the IMRA Cycle 2026 draft quality rubrics for full-subject, tier-one instructional materials for high school career and technical education (CTE) and K–12 fine arts.
At the June 2025 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board discussed the IMRA Cycle 2026 draft quality rubrics for full-subject, tier-one and supplemental K–12 positive character traits and personal skills and supplemental K–5 language arts and reading.
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, 88 Regular Session, 2023, expanded the definition of instructional materials to include full-subject, tier-one; partial-subject, tier-one; and supplemental instructional materials.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: A summary of public feedback on the new quality rubrics for full-subject, tier-one, instructional materials for career and technical education (CTE) for high school; full-subject, tier-one, instructional materials for fine arts for grades K–12; and supplemental K–5 language arts and reading will be presented to the board at the September 2025 meeting.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Approve the quality rubrics for full-subject, tier-one, instructional materials for career and technical education (CTE) for high school; full-subject, tier-one, instructional materials for fine arts for grades K–12; and supplemental K–5 language arts and reading for the Instructional Materials Review and Approval process.
Staff Members Responsible:
Colin Dempsey, Director, District Operations, Technology, and Sustainability Supports
Valerie Johnson, Director, HQIM Identification and Support, District Operations, Technology, and Sustainability Supports
Separate Exhibits:
I. Full-subject, tier-one, instructional materials for career and technical education (CTE) for high school final proposed rubrics, memorandum of changes, and summary of public comments.
II. Full-subject, tier-one, instructional materials for fine arts for grades K–12 final proposed rubrics, memorandum of changes, and summary of public comments.
III. Supplemental K–5 language arts and reading final proposed rubrics, memorandum of changes, and summary of public comments.
(all separate exhibits to be provided in advance of the September 2025 SBOE meeting)