Texas State Board of Education News
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2019 Session Dates
28 Jan - 1 Feb 2-5 April 11-14 June 10-13 Sep 12-15 Nov |
If you are unable to attend Public Hearings and want to submit your testimony,
please email your PDF to SBOESupport@tea.texas.gov / Phone: (512) 463-9007 / Fax: (512) 936-4319
please email your PDF to SBOESupport@tea.texas.gov / Phone: (512) 463-9007 / Fax: (512) 936-4319
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November 2019 Agenda
State Board of Education
William B. Travis Building
1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
View / Download Full Agenda
William B. Travis Building
1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
- Meeting Dates November 12-15, 2019
View / Download Full Agenda
#HotTopics on the November Agenda
- 12 Nov - Work Session on Nominations for Appointment to the School Land Board More info
African American Studies
The TXSBOE set our intentions in 2018, with the TXSBOE1 policy creating a fast-track for Texas Ethnic Studies Course Catalog. The first course passed was Mexican American Studies. Today, after nearly 70 testifiers, we made our intentions clear again: we will pass African American Studies and the course will be available to all Texas high school students for the 2020-21 school year. Click here for the Mexican American Studies course and the African American Studies course proposal.
Texas education board likely to approve African American studies course in 2020
"Georgina Perez and Aicha Davis, both Democrats on the board, helped create the Dallas ISD class, which is a comprehensive survey of African American politics, culture, and history, beginning with pre-colonial African civilizations and ending in the modern era."
by Aliyya Swaby / Texas Tribune Nov. 13, 20194:14 PM
Texas education board likely to approve African American studies course in 2020
"Georgina Perez and Aicha Davis, both Democrats on the board, helped create the Dallas ISD class, which is a comprehensive survey of African American politics, culture, and history, beginning with pre-colonial African civilizations and ending in the modern era."
by Aliyya Swaby / Texas Tribune Nov. 13, 20194:14 PM
Health Standards
As anticipated, the Health TEKS public hearing invited abstinence-only advocates. However, the law does not require abstinence to be the only standard our educators can teach.
Schools must present it as the preferred choice for unmarried, school-age children and devote more attention to abstinence than any other behavior. Further, schools must teach about
contraception and condom use in terms of human use rather than theory.
Why is a comprehensive and age-appropriate health curriculum important?
According to Health and Human Services, nearly 50% of Texas high school students are using contraception to avoid unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, 23% of our high school students admit they used no form of protection during intercourse, nearly ten points above the national average.
Consider the following:
Texas taxpayers spend $1 billion every year to assist teen parents with healthcare costs. Click here to read more.
Family Structures
Under Workgroup B's recommendations on the Mental Health and Wellness strand - topic "Social and Realtional Health" I sent the recommendation to our subsequent workgroups to remove the following: include different types of families/family structures and under the K-2 remove assist students with understanding THEIR OWN family structure. This recommendation received unanimous support.
Schools must present it as the preferred choice for unmarried, school-age children and devote more attention to abstinence than any other behavior. Further, schools must teach about
contraception and condom use in terms of human use rather than theory.
Why is a comprehensive and age-appropriate health curriculum important?
According to Health and Human Services, nearly 50% of Texas high school students are using contraception to avoid unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, 23% of our high school students admit they used no form of protection during intercourse, nearly ten points above the national average.
Consider the following:
- Texas ranks fourth in the nation for teen births and first for teens with multiple births;
- 66% of all births (by females under 20) are to Hispanic women;
- 14% of our female high school students reported sexual assaults, also above the national average.
Texas taxpayers spend $1 billion every year to assist teen parents with healthcare costs. Click here to read more.
Family Structures
Under Workgroup B's recommendations on the Mental Health and Wellness strand - topic "Social and Realtional Health" I sent the recommendation to our subsequent workgroups to remove the following: include different types of families/family structures and under the K-2 remove assist students with understanding THEIR OWN family structure. This recommendation received unanimous support.
Generation 25 Charter Application
In June, I made several recommendations to the Charter Application. Click here to watch the video from the June 2019 Charter Veto Public Hearing. Below are the recommendations and the changes the Texas Education Agency made:
- Data - In the past, charter applicants were able to use their own accountability ratings rather than the state's TAPR or A-F Accountability Scores. Now, charter applicants must use only TEA published data.
- Timeline - Application interviews will occur during the week of July 27th 2020; Commissioner Approval will occur in August 2020; TXSBOE Veto Public Hearing will be in Spetember 2020. This schedule provides advance notice to the public and ISD leadership to make arrangments to attend the TXSBOE Public Hearings.
- Application Notice - Superintendent and Board of Trustees President and TXSBOE will receive a signature required certified letter of notice.
- Community Meeting Notice - TXSBOE will recieve , Legislatute, Superintendent Notice of
- Agency Website - Applicant notice of Community Public Meeting will be placed on TEA's website
- Charter Location - Applicants are not required to list an address, zip code, or ISD boundaries from which they will pull students.
Commissioner's Comments
Click the image above to read/download the presentation.
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Click here to read more about the Houston ISD Board of Managers.
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Texas State Board of Education Leadership Celebration at the Austin Club in Austin, Texas ~ 14 November 2019.
September 2019
State Board of Education
William B. Travis Building
1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
View / Download Full Agenda
William B. Travis Building
1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
- Meeting Dates September 11-13, 2019
View / Download Full Agenda
Procedures for Selecting Nominees for Appointment to the School Land Board
The board adopted a process to be used when preparing lists of nominees to be submitted to the governor for possible appointment to the School Land Board. Click here for details an application. Deadline: 11 Oct 2019
The board adopted a process to be used when preparing lists of nominees to be submitted to the governor for possible appointment to the School Land Board. Click here for details an application. Deadline: 11 Oct 2019
Planning for the Annual Meeting Between the State Board of Education and the School Land Board
The board approved a plan that called for the first joint meeting of the State Board of Education and the School Land Board to be held in conjunction with the April 2020 SBOE meeting and in September in subsequent years. The board agreed that the SBOE chair and the chair of the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund would be responsible for collaborating with the commissioner of the General Land Office or his designee to determine the meeting agenda and meeting logistics and delegated responsibility for the meeting to those two SBOE officers.
I voted in support of the proposals which include required diverse appointments to the SLB.
The board approved a plan that called for the first joint meeting of the State Board of Education and the School Land Board to be held in conjunction with the April 2020 SBOE meeting and in September in subsequent years. The board agreed that the SBOE chair and the chair of the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund would be responsible for collaborating with the commissioner of the General Land Office or his designee to determine the meeting agenda and meeting logistics and delegated responsibility for the meeting to those two SBOE officers.
I voted in support of the proposals which include required diverse appointments to the SLB.
Ratification of Texas Lesson Study Resources
What is it? Click here to view TEA's TLS webpage
The TXSBOE's Committee on Instruction questioned the alignment of the TEKS to the lessons. We were told that with the exception of one lesson (pointed out by a Member), all other lesson studies are aligned. However, after a review was performed by a third-party, we discovered that several lessons on the TLS are not aligned.
The TXSBOE voted to ratify these video lessons available on the Gateway. I spoke against the motion. It is not appropriate for TEA to place their stamp of approval on lessons as the message received may be that "this is what and how to teach."
What is it? Click here to view TEA's TLS webpage
The TXSBOE's Committee on Instruction questioned the alignment of the TEKS to the lessons. We were told that with the exception of one lesson (pointed out by a Member), all other lesson studies are aligned. However, after a review was performed by a third-party, we discovered that several lessons on the TLS are not aligned.
The TXSBOE voted to ratify these video lessons available on the Gateway. I spoke against the motion. It is not appropriate for TEA to place their stamp of approval on lessons as the message received may be that "this is what and how to teach."
Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations Related to the Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation
The board adopted recommendations from the Texas Resource Review Ad Hoc Committee. The recommendations are attached. Additionally, the board adopted a provision that adds Sec. 4.4 to the SBOE’s operating rules, which says “An SBOE member shall not nominate instructional materials for submittal to the Texas Resource Review without a majority vote of the board endorsing said nomination.”
The board adopted recommendations from the Texas Resource Review Ad Hoc Committee. The recommendations are attached. Additionally, the board adopted a provision that adds Sec. 4.4 to the SBOE’s operating rules, which says “An SBOE member shall not nominate instructional materials for submittal to the Texas Resource Review without a majority vote of the board endorsing said nomination.”
Commissioner's Comments
Click to view entire presentation
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Click here to view / download the entire presentation.
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June 2019 Agenda
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Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 9 a.m. - Committee of the Full Board (Room 1-104)
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 9 a.m. - Committee of the Full Board (Room 1-104) Thursday, June 13, 2019 9 a.m. - Committee on Instruction (Room 1-100) 9 a.m. - Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund (Room 1-104) 9 a.m. - Committee on School Initiatives (Room 1-111) Friday, June 14, 20199 a.m. - General Meeting (Room 1-104) Consent Agenda |
Click to read the June 2019 Board Book
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Special Interest Items
11 June - Joint Meeting with the TXSBOE and George Prescott Bush, Land Commissioner. We have been told that Bush will answer questions from TXSBOE Members. I will be asking for a detailed explanation as to his unprecedented $600M divestment in Public Education. For additional information, see: The Texas State Board of Education will send $2.12B to ISDs, but it won't be enough
UPDATE: Commissioner Bush is unable to have all three of his members available on 11 June. Joint meeting is postponed. No future date has been established.
UPDATE: Commissioner Bush is unable to have all three of his members available on 11 June. Joint meeting is postponed. No future date has been established.
12 June - Reading and Language Arts TEKS (English & Spanish) were adopted in 2017. However, the Texas Education Agency has recommended several revisions which we will vote on in June 2019. I have requested input from publishers as to how these recommendations impact instructional materials which have already been purchased by schools. Regardless of the outcome of this vote (whether the TXSBOE accepts TEA staff recommended changes or not) the standards are required to be taught and tested in the 2019-20 school year, beginning in just a few weeks.
12 June - Approval of Nominees to Recommend to the Governor for Appointment on the Board of Trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. The TXSBOE1 nomination is Ysrael Valencia. His name is on the list presented for selection on the Governor's desk. Click here to read the complete list of nominations forwarded to the Governor's office for an appointment.
14 June - Consideration of the Commissioner of Education’s Generation 24 Open-Enrollment Charter School Proposals. TEA Commissioner sent his 5 recommended charters to TXSBOE members on Wednesday 6 June. TXSBOE has veto authority and may reject any or all of these recommendations. Review TEA Commissioner charter recommendations here.
Commissioner’s Health TEKS Study Recommendations
Background: The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) first adopted curriculum standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills or TEKS, for health education in 1998. In preparation for a revision of the health education TEKS, the SBOE requested that the commissioner prepare a study of current health education research and state standards, including national best practices, that would be used as a guide to begin the SBOE’s processes to review and consider revising the health education TEKS. Read the 26-page report here.
The commissioner was charged with the following:
1. Summarizing all statutory requirements related to health education
2. Developing a framework for what the strands or organizing principles could be for the TEKS
3. Establishing grade level and/or band distinctions at which health concepts are most appropriately taught
4. Suggesting the most appropriate methods for integrating health education statutory requirements into the framework
Background: The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) first adopted curriculum standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills or TEKS, for health education in 1998. In preparation for a revision of the health education TEKS, the SBOE requested that the commissioner prepare a study of current health education research and state standards, including national best practices, that would be used as a guide to begin the SBOE’s processes to review and consider revising the health education TEKS. Read the 26-page report here.
The commissioner was charged with the following:
1. Summarizing all statutory requirements related to health education
2. Developing a framework for what the strands or organizing principles could be for the TEKS
3. Establishing grade level and/or band distinctions at which health concepts are most appropriately taught
4. Suggesting the most appropriate methods for integrating health education statutory requirements into the framework
Read my Op-Ed in The El Paso Times (link below) or click here for PDF:
Support 21st-century sex education curriculum recommendations: Georgina Perez
Support 21st-century sex education curriculum recommendations: Georgina Perez
Texas taxpayers spend $1 billion every year to assist teen parents with health care costs. All the more reason to teach the facts while we follow the law. Commissioner Morath is absolutely on the right track. Let’s work together to make sure we serve our students and the Texas economy well."
Charter Transparency
Charter Transparency / Creating a high, but level playing field with curriculum, quality certified teachers, and responsible use of taxpayer dollars has been one of my priorities on the Texas State Board of Education. We are NOT quite where we need to be, but we are taking steps in the right direction.
For example, there have been 400 charter expansion under Commissioner Morath's tenure... how many of them welcomed any public comment, public hearing, community input, etc?
ZERO
Currently, expansion information is available via Public Information Request (PIR) only.
***Today's request includes a listserve email to the public (those who sign up) as amendments and expansions are filed with the TEA.*** However, the law does NOT require public hearings or any community input.
For example, there have been 400 charter expansion under Commissioner Morath's tenure... how many of them welcomed any public comment, public hearing, community input, etc?
ZERO
Currently, expansion information is available via Public Information Request (PIR) only.
***Today's request includes a listserve email to the public (those who sign up) as amendments and expansions are filed with the TEA.*** However, the law does NOT require public hearings or any community input.
Education Legislative Update
These new policies and policy changes originated at the TXSBOE Long-Range Plan and TXSBOE Legislative Priorities. Notably, the Dual Language multiplier increase, which adds funding for our English Learners AND our Spanish Learners. Click here to read/download the entire presentation.
These new policies and policy changes originated at the TXSBOE Long-Range Plan and TXSBOE Legislative Priorities. Notably, the Dual Language multiplier increase, which adds funding for our English Learners AND our Spanish Learners. Click here to read/download the entire presentation.
House Bill 3 Summary
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Click here for TEA's House Bill 3 webpage
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Click image to read "Teach the Vote's" HB3 resource
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April 2019 Agenda
3, 4, 5 April ~ click here to review the agenda ~ Watch the archived video of public hearings
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Commissioner's Comments on STAAR Readability download PDF
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Lexile Assessment Appendix download PDF
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While TEA continues to defend their STAAR exams, several members of the TXSBOE requested a more recent validity evaluation to be performed by a third party. Until there is public trust, this continues to be an expensive failure funded by taxpayers.
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New Reading & Language Arts TEKS Workshops
One of my concerns regarding TEKS is that our documents are both teaching and testing tools, meaning that the objectives are the minimal requirements of what teachers must teach and (via STAAR) what TEA must test via STAAR. This legislative requirement minimizes what we send to teachers in order to reduce the number of questions on STAAR.
The second of my concerns is TEA providing limited professional development on the TEKS to our ISD's. The Reading Academies are offered to only K-5. This results in random organizations delivering a variety of interpretations of the TEKS which often vary from the intent of the TXSBOE and the assessment division of TEA. The lack of consistency from TXSBOE to TEA to Professional Development results in our students suffer and teachers being held responsible.
TEKS IN REVIEW 3-month calendar download PDF
Upcoming Health & PE TEKS Review
If you or someone you know is interested in advising on the content areas of Health and/or Physical Education please email me at Georgina.Perez@tea.texas.gov
If you or someone you know is interested in advising on the content areas of Health and/or Physical Education please email me at Georgina.Perez@tea.texas.gov
Instruction
- In June of 2019, the Texas State Board of Education will review high school graduation requirements to address the issues with International Baccalaureate programs and Endorsements. The expectation is that these issues are resolved and implemented in the 2019-20 school year.
- TEA's Instructional Materials Quality Evaluation (IMQE) - established in 2017; a $10M project of which only 30 of 1,023 ISD's are participating, and only 7 publishers submitted materials of which only 1 was state adopted. TXSBOE members have expressed great concern with the Texas Education Agency's IMQE process: 1) There is little to no public input and no oversight; 2) TEA contracted to a Common Core entity which has never worked in Texas or on Texas materials; 3) The process aims to remove the TXSBOE process which is the means to public input and transparency. Leaving many of us questioning why taxpayers are paying twice for the same work. These concerns resulted in the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee which will be kept informed as to the progress of this project.
- Texas Lesson Study - established in 2016; an $8M project of which only 80 ISD's are participating. Several members expressed concern as to the pedagogy applied as well as the expense in terms of taxpayer dollars at the state level and local campus level - in addition to the time and effort on the part of teachers. Ultimately, this is education which should be taught in the colleges of education rather than the result of underperforming teacher certification programs and TEA's allowance of non-certified and non-credentialed teachers in our classrooms.
- Courses of Innovation - after reviewing the latest applications for approval and renewal, I have requested the following additions to applications: 1) location where the course is planned to be offered and the realistic potential and impact across the state; 2) cost to districts / subscription requirements; 3) Texas-based data as to success rates / improved student outcomes *applicable to renewals.
Perkins V Transition Plan
As a part of the revision process for programs of study it was important to determine how the state would define the following terms: high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand occupations. Based on the labor market analysis, Texas defines these terms as follows:
The Programs of Study (POS) initiative for workforce programs helps advance the four broad goals of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB’s) 60x30TX strategic plan for Texas higher education, defined as:
Read the Perkins V Transition Plan
As a part of the revision process for programs of study it was important to determine how the state would define the following terms: high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand occupations. Based on the labor market analysis, Texas defines these terms as follows:
- high-wage: $35,339 median annual salary based on the Texas Workforce Commission’s workforce projections as well as real time labor data from Emsi (Emsi is a labor market information source that includes data from the US census bureau and department of labor as well as job postings and online job profiles) through the 2020-2021 school year
- high-skill: a program of study demonstrating multiple entrance and exit points into careers including options for exit points from industry-based certifications, postsecondary level one and level two certifications from a technical college or community college, an associate degree, and a bachelor’s degree to ensure program of study sequences are continual and not job-terminal
- in-demand: greater than 17% annual growth based on the Texas Workforce Commission’s workforce projections as well as real time labor data from Emsi
The Programs of Study (POS) initiative for workforce programs helps advance the four broad goals of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB’s) 60x30TX strategic plan for Texas higher education, defined as:
- by 2030, at least 60 percent of Texans ages 25-34 will have a certificate or degree
- by 2030, at least 550,000 students will complete a certificate, associate, bachelor’s, or master’s from an institution of higher education in Texas per year
- all graduates from Texas public institutions of higher education will have completed programs with identified marketable skills
- by 2030, undergraduate student loan debt will not exceed 60 percent of first-year wages for graduates of Texas public institutions
Read the Perkins V Transition Plan
January 2019 Agenda
28 January - 1 February ~ click to review agenda
Swearing-In Ceremony, Operating Rules, Officer Elections, & Committee Assignments
Seven State Board of Education members begin new term of office
Sen. Larry Taylor, chair of the Senate Education Committee, today administered the oath of office to seven State Board of Education members who are beginning four-year terms of office. Returning members, who were re-elected in November, are Brownsville businessman Ruben Cortez, Jr.; San Antonio education administrator Marisa Perez-Diaz; Houston educator Lawrence Allen, Jr.; and retired Fort Worth educator Pat Hardy. Members joining the board for the first time are Friendswood urologist Matt Robinson; Fairview businesswoman Pam Little; and Dallas educator Aicha Davis.
TXSBOE Officers of the Executive Committee Election
The board re-elected Marty Rowley of Amarillo as board vice chair and elected Georgina C. Pérez of El Paso as Board Secretary.
Committee Assignments The three officers then made the following committee assignments based on members’ preferences and seniority:
Sen. Larry Taylor, chair of the Senate Education Committee, today administered the oath of office to seven State Board of Education members who are beginning four-year terms of office. Returning members, who were re-elected in November, are Brownsville businessman Ruben Cortez, Jr.; San Antonio education administrator Marisa Perez-Diaz; Houston educator Lawrence Allen, Jr.; and retired Fort Worth educator Pat Hardy. Members joining the board for the first time are Friendswood urologist Matt Robinson; Fairview businesswoman Pam Little; and Dallas educator Aicha Davis.
TXSBOE Officers of the Executive Committee Election
The board re-elected Marty Rowley of Amarillo as board vice chair and elected Georgina C. Pérez of El Paso as Board Secretary.
Committee Assignments The three officers then made the following committee assignments based on members’ preferences and seniority:
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Instruction
Aicha Davis of Dallas Pam Little of Fairview Sue Melton-Malone of Robinson Georgina Pérez of El Paso Marty Rowley of Amarillo |
School Finance PermSchFund
Lawrence Allen Jr. of Houston Donna Bahorich of Houston Pat Hardy of Fort Worth Tom Maynard of Florence Ken Mercer of San Antonio |
School Initiatives
Barbara Cargill of Conroe Ruben Cortez of Brownsville Keven Ellis of Lufkin Marisa Perez-Diaz of San Antonio Matt Robinson of Friendswood |
Foundation High School Program
- The petition to allow Debate to satisfy a Fine Art credit failed. Debate remains categorized as an elective or an acceptable English IV course.
- The cybersecurity course passed the preliminary vote at First Reading and Filing Authorization, public comment period coming soon. Click here for details.
High School Equivalency Exam Contracts
There are currently three approved contractors providing high school equivalency exams, whose contracts expire in August 2019. One of the three will not seek business with the state of Texas beyond Aug 2019. The other two requested an increase in fees approval from the TXSBOE. Both contractors requests were approved 13-1. I voted against the fee increase as I do not support a $25 increase (from $0) to register to take an exam and an additional increase in fees to take the exam.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Review & Adoption Process
1) Additional training (and information) for the Review Workgroups, detailing/explaining how the TEKS documents are both teaching AND testing tools.
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Student Expectations as of 6 Feb 2019
Click to enlarge chart
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TEKS documents provide the minimum information that teachers are required to teach AND what the state must test. Example: The reason that Social Studies Streamlining was a topic of discussion during two legislative sessions is because of the ridiculous amount of standards injected into the 2010 TEKS, resulting in not only the teaching of double/triple the number of standards (as compared to other content tested courses) in Social Studies classrooms. The 2017, 11th-grade U.S. History test (a graduation requirement) was 82 questions long. *Additionally, an added value to the training will be definitions of verbs and how these are assessed. Example: How is "evaluate" taught in the classroom and how will it be assessed on STAAR/EOC exams. |
2) Extending the TXSBOE meetings (by 1 additional day) when discussing TEKS review, revision, amendments, etc.
The result of this is a Monday-Friday meeting rather than a Tuesday-Friday meeting. The goal is to take more time while reviewing these documents which live in Texas classrooms for 10+ years.
The result of this is a Monday-Friday meeting rather than a Tuesday-Friday meeting. The goal is to take more time while reviewing these documents which live in Texas classrooms for 10+ years.
Texas Commission on Public School Finance
Click to view complete presentation
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TXSBOE Member, Keven Ellis, was appointed to the Commission on Public School Finance. This presentation is the summary of the full report. |
Texas State Board of Education Learning Roundtable Conference
The 2019 Roundtable Discussions focused on the Effective Implementation of the Texas Long-Range Plan for Public Education. I moderate the Roundtable Talk: Access & Equity ~ All children get what they need to learn, thrive, and grow
Go to Texas Long-Range Plan for Public Education for details
Go to Texas Long-Range Plan for Public Education for details
Commissioner's Comments
click to open the presentation
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Micheal Morath, Commissioner of Education, delivers updates from the Texas Education Agency each TXSBOE Session. Takeaways from January's update:
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The State of Education ~ Annual Report, 2018
Click to read the 2018 Annual State of Education report
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The 2018 Annual Report spotlights areas of achievement based on the Agency’s Strategic Priorities:
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