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The State Board of Education met on November 18, 2022, to hear TEA Commissioner Mike Morath’s comments, take up discussion of legislative recommendations, and proposed revisions to 19 TAC. An archive of the meeting can be found here.

 

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

 

Item 1: Resolutions and Presentation

  • Resolutions for the presidential awards for excellence in mathematics and science programs are presented
  • Resolutions honoring retiring SBOE members

 

Commissioner Comments

Mike Morath, TEA Commissioner

  • Are in process of redesigning the STAAR test; is not getting more difficult, but changing to be reflective of classroom instruction
  • 5 key changes:
    • Passage selection modification for cross-curricular content
    • Writing added throughout the RLA exams from grade 3 and up
    • New non-multiple-choice questions; trying to get as few multiple-choice questions as possible
    • Move to online assessments; will provide accommodations for students with specific learning needs and will allow quicker scoring
  • Have gotten a lot of positive feedback for this redesign
  • Redesign will not make the test harder; are using field test questions, work groups, etc. to ensure this
  • Because of grades 3-8 changes will go through a standard setting process; only happens when significant changes are made
  • In future years, results will be faster, but in 2023 results for 3-8 will be later than usual
  • Online assessment switch has mostly already happened 82% of kids took the test online in the Spring; working to provide supports for districts who have been uncomfortable with this switch
  • Redesign will go live Spring 2023
  • Chair Ellis – What will non multiple choice typing for 3rd graders look like? Scoring for non-multiple choice?
    • Is a student expectation in technology TEKS that 3rd graders can type; everyone will get the raw responses in May and is a huge improvement with online system
  • Hardy – When they ask teachers to serve on test writing groups, request they refrain from using AP teachers; is not a good way to write for average students’ point of view
    • If not already a part of the selection process, will look into that
    • TEA Staff – Have a wide array of selection criteria
  • Hardy – How written responses scored?
    • Highly structured rubrics and have done trial evaluations to figure out standards and training for evaluators; a lot of retired teachers serve
  • Perez-Diaz – How will changes effect accommodations for students?
    • Online testing has a more robust number of accommodations than the paper test
  • Davis – Anything being done to address bias?
    • Quality control through teacher review committee signing off on every item; includes question regarding bias and making sure it is free from bias; quantitative analysis during field testing to look at performance
    • Throw out any items that could be biased
  • TEA announced proposed rule language and supporting grant opportunities on Nov. 3 for school safety standards; creates minimum safety and operational standards; all schools must meet requirements within the 2022-23 school year
  • August 2023 will be deadline to have contractor procured with a final timeline to complete all work required; many schools already meet this standard
  • $400 M in funding to pay for upgrades; schools that already meet minimum standards will still receive grants for enhancing safety
  • Positive feedback from administrators on this but will take a lot of work, minimum of $250,000 for all these schools, smaller grant for silent panic alert technology
  • Perez-Diaz – Recent opening of four charter facilities that are kindergarten and first grade only; what is the grant and approval process for those facilities in El Paso?
    • Not the first time a school district has operated a facility outside their geographic area; not sure there is an approval process for this but can get back to you
    • Cortez – Education codes authorizes any school district to operate outside geographic boundaries and create campus charters
  • Discussion of 1882 partnerships and public ISDs that are going into other ISDs with charters; Perez-Diaz requests more information
  • Hickman – Story about ADA funding loss to due attendance declines and ESSER funds not being drawn out
    • ESSER funds expire in 2025; haven’t heard of ISDs not receiving ESSER funds; no need for new hold harmless for ADA; enrollment declines not necessarily hold harmless

 

Public Testimony

Augustin Villarreal, E4 Texas Program at UT

  • Support SB 18 to improve training for teachers to instruct special education students in primary and secondary schools; will ensure special education students are treated equally; only 18% of people with IDD enrolled in regular classes in 2019, levels too low; being in regular classes gives skills to students
  • System makes it too easy place students in life skills; should be in regular classes with accommodations

 

Item 2: Approval of Consent Agenda

 

Item 3: Legislative Recommendations for the 88th Texas Legislature

  • Recommend grant SBOE veto authority over charter expansions
  • Recommend charter schools follow same rules as ISDs
  • Recommend all LEAs use all textbooks approved by SBOE and Texas resource review, align materials to cover 100% of Texas TEKS standards
  • Recommend that SBOE member benefits and staff support are provided
  • Recommend legislature reject all attempts to divert public dollars from public schools in form of vouchers, ESAs, or any other items that take away funding from public schools
  • Hickman – Would like to improve track record on legislative priorities; should focus on items with consensus and not focus on controversial topics; voting against for this reason
  • Motion to approve all 8 recommendations together
  • Roll call vote requested – Hickman and Maynard vote nay; motion carries
  • Recommend raise the floor of minimum salary schedule by minimum of 50% and fully funded motion carries

 

Item 4: Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Subchapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, and Subchapter C, High School

  • Recommend SBOE approves for second reading and final adoption the proposed revisions, motion carries
  • Members discuss 2025 implementation of social study standards; possibly implemented in 24-25 SY

 

Monica Martinez, TEA Staff

  • Need to amend implementation wording in each amendment; standard practice to include language to not require school districts to implement if no funds available for new books
  • Publishers can choose to use the updated substitution process
  • Cortez – What would be the fiscal impact for schools
    • Can vary, some publishers say they don’t need to make updates; online updates don’t have additional costs; depends on what district has chosen to use and extent they feel new standards are covered in materials
  • Current adoption cycle has social studies listed for 2025; funding districts receive in IMA for that year would have been what they use for proclamation 25
  • Cortez – If any expenses they should be in that year when dollars are available; never enough instruction materials
  • Chair Ellis – Now it’s all at discretion of appropriators, correct? Money is still there and same as if it would be a full revision and proclamation?
  • Move to amend motion to amend subsection A in sections 113 for “provisions should be implemented in 24-25 school year”, deleting number 1-3, 2 opposed, amendment to main motion carries
  • 2 opposed to proposed revisions, recommendation as amended is adopted

Item 5: Update on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Review

Shelly Ramos, TEA Staff

  • Recommend approval of TEKS review
  • CTE teams has reached out to mostly CTE supervisors around state; would appreciate assistance in recruiting individuals to apply
  • Hickman – Could SBOE support email us those courses for application?
    • Yes
  • Maynard – Does this require an amendment to our motion?
    • Only if you wanted to include the underlined language
  • Maynard – Move to amend main motion under bullet point number 2 after the word SBOE “members may identify individuals to serve on advisory board” and insert the words following the last sentence “by SBOE members”; motion carries
  • Bell-Metereau – Given work with social studies development group that was tossed out how are we supposed to recruit people for any of these committees?
    • Ellis – Frame as recruiting people in subjects they are interested in
  • Bell-Metereau- And that they may or may not be used?
    • Ellis – Board always taken feedback from workgroups
  • Motion to approve item 5 carries
  • Move that SBOE request that TEA develop task for an occupational safety and health course; adopted

 

Item 6: Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter C, Other Provisions, §74.27, Innovative Courses and Programs

  • Recommend the board adopt the proposed amendment; motion adopted 2/3 in favor

 

Item 7: Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 111, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics, Subchapter D, Other High School Mathematics Courses, §111.56, Advanced Placement (AP) Precalculus (One Credit)

  • Recommend board propose for first reading; motion adopted

Item 8: Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter A, Middle School

  • Maynard – Effect of motion is the elimination of career exploration and the elimination of college and career prep and substituting with a single course?
  • Martinez – Courses have been combined into this new course; ensuring that student can take course more than once
  • Maynard – What was the public testimony feedback on that?
  • Martinez – Testimony requesting board make course for high school credit so that it can earn weighted funding; not appropriate to include at high school level since it’s a middle school course
  • Proposal Adopted

Item 9: Approval of Agricultural Education Program List

  • Recommendation adopted without discussion

Item 10: Review of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 229, Accountability System for Educator Preparation Programs

  • Melton-Malone – Recommend we deny because not aligned with courses
  • Group of people wanted oral interpretation 1, 2, and 3 included in fine arts to get credit but don’t align with fine arts courses; possibly take a look at this again when fine arts is discussed next
  • Recommendation adopted
  • Maynard – Important to be aware we have had lots of discussion about bond guarantee program; in process of negotiations with department of treasury since 2019
  • Congressman Doggett and Arrington had cosponsored house resolution 9044 that rectifies this issue; don’t have capacity at this point to guarantee bonds voted on Nov. 8th

Item 11: Review of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 241, Certification as Principal

  • Robinson – Committee on school initiatives recommends SBOE take no action on proposed amendments
  • Recommendation adopted

Item 12: reports of committees regarding agenda items posted for discussion on committee agendas

  • Robinson – Recommend no action
  • Recommendation adopted