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Support Our Work!
I am deeply humbled by the faith you have placed in me, and I am so excited about the next 4 years on the State Board of Education. There is so much more work to be done!
In the next four years, I will be focused on protecting public education for all Texans. Join me in fighting for a moratorium on all charters and expansions, equitable funding for all classrooms regardless of zip code, and eliminating punitive consequences from standardized tests. The State of Texas does not provide a salary nor a stipend for TXSBOE Members. Every donation helps! 
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2020 Session Dates
28 - 31 Jan 14 - 17 April 4 June 29 June - 3 July 1 - 2 Sep 8 - 11 Sep 17 - 20 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
November 2020
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Texas State Board of Education
William B. Travis Building 1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
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Click here for the TXSBOE Podcasts
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Tuesday, 17 Nov 2020
- Public Hearing on K-12 Health TEKS - 2nd Reading & Final Adoption watch Live or Later: www.adminmonitor.com/tx/tea
- Public Hearing on K-12 Physical Education TEKS - 2nd Reading & Final Adoption
- Public Hearing on High School Science TEKS - 2nd Reading & Final Adoption
Wednesday, 18 Nov 2020
- Commissioner's Comments - discussion
- Percentage Distribution of the Permanent School Fund - consent
- Legislative Recommendations - action
- Proclamation 2021 - Pre-K Instructional Materials - action
- High School Graduation Requirements - action
- High School Equivalency - action
- Transition Plan for Electronic Assessments - discussion
- Pending Litigation - discussion
Health TEKS
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Language will be updated as soon as it is filed with the Texas Register
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Consent:
LGBTQ:
Reproductive and Sexual Health - Sexual Risk Avoidance:
Vaccines:
LGBTQ:
Reproductive and Sexual Health - Sexual Risk Avoidance:
Vaccines:
Watch Live or Later: www.adminmonitor.com/tx/tea
1 - 2 September 2020
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8 - 11 September 2020
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Click here for the TXSBOE Podcasts
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Commissioner's Comments
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There is an official Legislative Budget Board (LBB) estimate for the additional cost of charters to the state.
In 2018, Gina Hinojosa (D- House Representative, District 49, Austin) asked the LBB, what the cost savings to the state [taxpayers] would be if charters were paid at the same level as the ISD's where the charters are located.
LBB responded that the state [taxpayers] would have saved $882M over the biennium if charters were paid the same as the ISD's where they had the highest enrollment.
Click here to find this number, $882M on the 2page - 1st paragraph.
Health TEKS
June/July 2020
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Texas State Board of Education
William B. Travis Building 1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
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Click here for the TXSBOE Podcasts
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27, 27, 29 July | *Virtual New Charter Capacity Interviews with the TXSBOE
Despite the Texas Comptroller's report on the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices driving down projected general revenue in the state's current budget by more than $11 billion, Commissioner Morath has given his nod to 9 new charter operators which are now in capacity interviews with the Texas State Board of Education. Morath has also approved numerous charter expansions for the 2020-21 school year. Expansions are for additional facilities by already existing charter operators. Charter expansions are approved without any public hearings, no voting by elected officials or communities where the expansions will be located, and no public review of impact statements or alleged long waiting lists. With all of these duplicative education facilities and additional financial burden on Texas taxpayers, we must question the validity of Texas' Republican party's conservative platform. All hat and no cattle.
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27 July
9 - 11 am CST - Brillante Academy 12 - 2 pm - Rocketship Public Schools 2:30 - 4:30 pm - Heritage Charter School |
28 July
9 - 11 am CST - Prelude Preparatory Charter School 12 - 2 pm - Doral Academy of Texas 2:30 - 4:30 pm - CLEAR Public Charter School |
29 July
9 - 11 am CST - Royal Public Schools 12 - 2 pm - Curie Academy 2:30 - 4:30 pm - Learn4Life Austin |
2 July - *Virtual Meeting | Charter Bond Capacity Risk & Oversight Management Contracts
The Permanent School Fund and Texas HUBs
The Texas Permanent School Fund (PSF) is the largest public endowment in the nation. Zero minority-owned or HUB-certified law firms provide counsel to the PSF Bond Guarantee Program. Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs: women-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned) have not been awarded contracts to lobby for, perform any oversight, or manage the taxpayer's fund.
During the July 2nd meeting of the Texas State Board of Education's meeting, I asked for this agenda item to be pulled from the Permanent School Fund's consent agenda:
The Texas Permanent School Fund (PSF) is the largest public endowment in the nation. Zero minority-owned or HUB-certified law firms provide counsel to the PSF Bond Guarantee Program. Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs: women-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned) have not been awarded contracts to lobby for, perform any oversight, or manage the taxpayer's fund.
During the July 2nd meeting of the Texas State Board of Education's meeting, I asked for this agenda item to be pulled from the Permanent School Fund's consent agenda:
- Approval of the Selection of a Legal Counsel for the Bond Guarantee Program as outlined in RFQ 701-20-006 for the Texas Permanent School Fund and Authorization for Contract Execution by the Commissioner of Education
Considering the sales tax hit the state is taking due to Coronavirus, why is it safe to increase the charter bond capacity at this time?
30 June - *Virtual Commissioner's Comments
My questions to Commissioner Morath, at 1:11:30 on the video link below: (Commissioner Morath's responses are in red)
- There are 100 (charter) expansion requests and our last update was on 22 June. When can we expect an update? CM will have to get back to me.
- Can we get a rule requiring charter expansion applications to be shared with TXSBOE Members? Expansion approval is occurring as per normal. As for notice requirements to the TXSBOE, CM will get with his charter team and get back to me.
- States like Georgia and Indiana have sought accountability waivers from the Department of Education due to their rise in COVID19 cases. Is Texas (TEA) in the process of seeking similar waivers? I don't think so but possibly. We have asked for a bunch of waivers already; it may be something we have asked for already - but I am not sure.
Click here to watch the ZOOM meeting / Commissioner's Comments on-demand.
29 June - *Virtual Public Hearing on Health & PE TEKS (Standards)
There are 258 registered testifiers for Monday's Public Hearing on Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 116, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Physical Education. You can livestream here or click the link to watch on-demand later.
TXSBOE1 has worked with teachers in ISD's across the district, coordinated by Socorro ISD leadership, to review all proposed revisions (which can be reviewed here).
TXSBOE1 has worked with teachers in ISD's across the district, coordinated by Socorro ISD leadership, to review all proposed revisions (which can be reviewed here).
The facts about TEC 28.004: LOCAL SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL AND HEALTH EDUCATION INSTRUCTION. Additionally, Sex Education (and any content) is optional - meaning that parents can opt their students out of the day, content, class, etc.
Click here to read The Case for 21st Century Sex Ed published in the El Paso Times and additional outlets across Texas, as well as the Houston Chronicle Editorial.
Click here to read The Case for 21st Century Sex Ed published in the El Paso Times and additional outlets across Texas, as well as the Houston Chronicle Editorial.
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:- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) take a particularly heavy toll on young people. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that youth ages 15-24 makeup over 25% of the sexually active population and account for half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted infections that occur in the United States each year. Almost 80% of newly reported HIV cases are teenage males.
- - 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.
4 June - Joint meeting of the State Board of Education’s Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund and the School Land Board – Work Session
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Texas State Board of Education
William B. Travis Building 1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
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Livestream this meeting or watch later On-Demand
View / Download Full Agenda (PDF) Online Agenda Meeting Minutes |
Click here for the TXSBOE Podcasts
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April 2020
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Texas State Board of Education
William B. Travis Building 1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
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Livestream this meeting or watch later On-Demand
View / Download Full Agenda (PDF) Online Agenda Meeting Minutes |
Click here for the TXSBOE Podcasts
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Due to COVID-19, the Texas State Board of Education is meeting via ZOOM on an abbreviated schedule.
Click to view the agenda online or PDF (details, discussion, and vote details below):
16 April, 9 am - Committee of the Full Board - click here for COFB meeting minutes
Click to view the agenda online or PDF (details, discussion, and vote details below):
16 April, 9 am - Committee of the Full Board - click here for COFB meeting minutes
- CTE - New Career Clusters in Energy (and others) ~ 2nd Reading & Final Adoption - passed unanimously
- African American Studies ~ 2nd Reading & Final Adoption - passed unanimously
- Proclamation 22 ~ The Texas State Board is expected to put out a call to publishers for new Health and Physical Education instructional materials
- Perkins Reauthorization - passed unanimously
- English Language Proficiency Standards ~ the TXSBOE will provide guidance to the current workgroups - update on review workgroups
16 April, 11 am - Committee on Instruction - click here for COI meeting minutes
- Repeal High School English and a Second Language TEKS, ~ 2nd Reading & Final Adoption - passed unanimously as we implement new TEKS
- Origo Education - the Texas State Board of Education will decide which course of action is most appropriate due to substitution of new editions of a student journal for its adopted products for English and Spanish math, grades K-5. Origo Education has substituted new editions for the products adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) in 2013. - fees assed for non-compliance, no auto-renewal of contracts
16 April, 11 am - Committee on School Finance / Permanent School Fund - click here for PSF meeting minutes: page 1, page 2, Summary of Transactions
- Foundation School Program - Use of State Funds, Maximum Allowable Indirect Cost, Basic Allotment (2nd Reading & Final Adoption)
- Budgeting, Accounting, and Auditing - TEA Audit Functions - School District Independent Audits and Agreed-Upon Procedures
- Review of PSF Securities Transactions and the Investment Portfolio
- Ratification of Purchases and Sales of the Investment Portfolio of the PSF (Dec 2019, Jan & Feb 2020)
- Report of the PSF executive Administrator and Chief Investment Officer
16 April, 11 AM - Committee on School Initiatives - click here for COSI meeting minutes
- Recommendation for Appointment to the Fort Sam Houston Independent School District Board of Trustees
- Recommendation for Appointments to the Lackland Independent School District Board of Trustees
- Open-Enrollment Charter School Generation 25 Application Updates
- Adoption Review of TAC 19 Chap 100: Charters - Open Enrollment Charters and Home Rule School District Charters
- Review of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 230, Professional Educator Preparation and Certification, , Assessment of Educators, Types and Classes of Certificates Issued, Educational Aide Certificate, and Certificate Issuance Procedures
Committee of the Full Board - Items postponed due to Coronavirus:
- Joint meeting of the Texas State Board of Education and the School Land Board
- Public Hearing: Proposed revisions of the Physical Education TEKS
- Public Hearing: Proposed revisions of the Health TEKS
- Applicability of State Law for Special Purpose School Districts ~ 1st Reading
- TXSBOE Annual Ethics Training
- Pending Litigation
- Commissioner's Comments
- Public Hearing: the Texas State Board of Education will begin reviewing the Framework for School Board Development. The framework clarifies the role of the local board of trustees and local board members and enhances communication between local boards of trustees and the Texas Legislature, Texas State Board of Education, and the Texas Education Agency. Additionally, the TXSBOE will review the current requirements for team building training for local boards of trustees and the prescribed qualifications for trainers that provide the team building training. Click here to review the proposed rule change.
Committee on Instruction - Items postponed due to Coronavirus
- CTE (Secondary Curriculum) ~ 1st Reading
- Character Traits (grades 1 -12) ~ 1st Reading... as required by HB1026
- Innovative Courses ~ proposed approval
January 2020
Texas State Board of Education
William B. Travis Building 1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
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Livestream this meeting or watch later On-Demand
View / Download Full Agenda (PDF) Online Agenda Meeting Minutes |
Click here for the TXSBOE Podcasts
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Agenda (details, discussion, and vote details below):
- African American Studies Public Hearing & 1st Reading. We are on schedule to adopt in April 2020! Scroll down for details.
- State Adoption of Instructional Materials (Proclamation 2021) - Pre-Kindergarten (2nd Reading & Final Adoption) Click here for additional details on Proclamation 2021. The TXSBOE agrees, the instructional materials should meet 100% of the standards (TEKS). However, the required 50%, is prescribed by the Texas Legislature. That being said, the TXSBOE adopts materials that are 100% aligned.
- High School Graduation Requirements - Foundation HS Program | Endorsements - Career & Technical Education (CTE) - The TXSBOE voted (at 1st Reading) to add a New Career Cluster in Energy to align with revised programs of study. Public Comment will be collected and shared at Second Reading. We expect Final Adoption of the New Energy Cluster in April 2020.
- TEKS Review - English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) - Click here to sign up to join the workgroups
- Special Purpose School Districts - Texas Education Code appliability to special provisions for Texas Tech & UT Austin
- Instructional Materials Health & Physical Education - Proclamation 2022 (to be issued in April 2020)
- Character Traits Education - Scroll down for additional details.
- Perkins V Re-Authorization
TXSBOE Committee Work
Committee on Instruction Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund Committee on School Initiatives
Committee on Instruction Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund Committee on School Initiatives
Special Focus Items:
- Health Standards - scroll down for details
- School Board Trustee Training - The TXSBOE extended current ISD Board Rules through 1 May 2020. The TXSBOE and the Texas Assoc of School Boards will review the process and make recommendations for approval at the TXSBOE April session.
- New Charter Operators & Charter Expansions - scroll down for details
- TXSBOE1 Focus on Childhood Adversity - scroll down for details
TEKS & Instructional Materials Review and Adoption Schedule
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 Pérez 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 Pérez 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
Generation 26 Charter Application (year 2021)
In June 2019, our office 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 - TXSBOE, Superintendent and Board of Trustees President and TXSBOE will receive a signature required certified letter of notice.
- Community Meeting Notice - TXSBOE, Legislatute, Superintendents of impacted ISD's will recieve 2-weeks advance notice of meetings. Charter operators are required to have sign-in sheets to use as community interest evidence.
- 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.
Perkins V - Re-Authorization
What is the Texas State Board of Education's role in approving the Perkins V plan?
Not only are we the Texas State Board of Education, we are also the Texas State Board for Career and Technology Education. Therefore, we approve the state plans for Perkins. Historically, the TXSBOE has not requested any changes. Years ago, we questioned the split of funds between the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that is funded from Perkins. The TXSBOE changed the split to 70% TEA and 30% THECB. In the past, it was much higher - in favor of the THECB.
Click here to review the current plan.
Click here to review the Execituve Summary.
Not only are we the Texas State Board of Education, we are also the Texas State Board for Career and Technology Education. Therefore, we approve the state plans for Perkins. Historically, the TXSBOE has not requested any changes. Years ago, we questioned the split of funds between the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that is funded from Perkins. The TXSBOE changed the split to 70% TEA and 30% THECB. In the past, it was much higher - in favor of the THECB.
Click here to review the current plan.
Click here to review the Execituve Summary.
TXSBOE1 Focus on Childhood Adversity
The January 2020 focus includes the Adverse Childhood Experience Scores (ACES), the test for you to take and understand the scores, book study opportunities, and podcasts.
Health Standards
Update 23 Jan 2021 - Approved for second reading and final adoption by the State Board of Education on November 20, 2020.
Chapter 115. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education
Chapter 115. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education
As anticipated, the Health TEKS public hearing was attended by lots of 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.
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.
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."
Family Structures
Under Workgroup B's recommendations on the Mental Health and Wellness strand - topic "Social and Realtional Health," I sent the following recommendation to our subsequent workgroups: remove from K-2, assist students with understanding their own family structure. As written, K-2 students would be required to identify their family structures and compare it to various structures. I made this recommendation due to the comparison language. This recommendation received unanimous support.
Under Workgroup B's recommendations on the Mental Health and Wellness strand - topic "Social and Realtional Health," I sent the following recommendation to our subsequent workgroups: remove from K-2, assist students with understanding their own family structure. As written, K-2 students would be required to identify their family structures and compare it to various structures. I made this recommendation due to the comparison language. This recommendation received unanimous support.
