The Committee of the Full Board met on January 28 to discuss proposed appeals of TEKS, high school graduation requirements, English Language Proficiency Standards, innovative courses, and educator certification as well as proposed amendments for military and SBEC rules. An archive video of this meeting can be found here.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on 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 Presentations

Commissioner Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency

  • HB 3906 (2019) – Requires us to redesign STAAR test; Requires us to engage in R&D work to figure out if it’s possible to do smaller tests throughout the year, has not yet happened yet, but working on pilot for feasibility
  • Will be speaking on the STAAR improvements, incl. 75% multiple choice cap, transition to online testing, reimplementation of federal guidelines
  • STAAR upgrade is not to improve accuracy of the test, test have been proven reliable and questions tightly aligned to student expectations set by SBOE
  • Has been heavily studied via measures like HB 743(84) and HB 3 (86), STAAR is an effective way to gauge grade level mastery
  • Not a question of accuracy, but question of if there are design improvements that can improve curricula experience
  • 4 key concepts
    • Coherently building student’s background knowledge, not have just passages on random topics
    • Asking students to write about what they read using evidence from the text
    • Providing various open-ended formats, not just multiple choice
    • Appropriate accommodations
  • STAAR redesign will prioritize cross-curricular redesign, incl. writing in all RLA tests, incl. as many non-multiple choice questions as possible, and ensure accommodations for learners are as robust as possible
  • Highlights importance of reading & formula: decoding x language comp = reading comp; well-studied & decoding needs to be explicitly taught, language comprehension is another important aspect
  • Describes Wisconsin student exercise where students were asked to read a passage about baseball and re-enact, kids with most knowledge of baseball did the best at re-enactment
  • Research shows that knowledge of a topic has much bigger impact on comprehension than generalized reading ability; exposure to concept allows students to draw meaning from the rest of the text
  • STAAR is highly accurate at testing literacy, but there are a high number of low-income students without sufficient background knowledge and we are not making them literate; need to fix approach
  • Provides visual showcasing importance of teachers building background knowledge and vocabulary, e.g. a student with actual experience of & context for the Alamo will have a connection to a social studies lesson on the battle
  • Effective schools are building deep, coherent background knowledge across a student’s curriculum
  • No challenge with STAAR in assessing literacy, provides overview of process for passage selection
  • STAAR redesign will not include passages without identification of specific cross-curricular links; provides examples of these passages, e.g. including aspects from the science curriculum in the RLA passage
  • Will be choosing passages deliberately to cover science, social studies, etc. TEKS
  • Also trying to reinforce the idea that writing is important; reading & writing are reciprocal processes
  • Not just written response in 4th, will be writing at all grade levels
  • Provides examples of current writing prompts and upcoming writing redesigned prompts; current STAAR passages can assess literacy, but do not necessarily support literacy
  • Redesigned questions will ask students to write using evidence from the text
  • Not about making assessment more accurate, about signaling to the rest of the curriculum
  • Multiple choice questions are similar, great at assessing, but not at developing knowledge
  • Provides example of asking students to write a cause & effect paragraph after reading a statement about an event
  • Can be applied to other subjects, e.g. ask the student to illustrate the fraction in a math question instead of pick from multiple choices, or ask for paragraph description
  • Committee of Texas educators must sign-off on every question before field testing
  • Involved huge numbers of current educators in assessing the redesign questions, overwhelming majority think they will do a better job of assessment, keep students engaged, etc.
  • Also working on robust supports for students, need to ensure the supports available in the classroom are available on the STAAR; play example video of text-to-speech reader
  • Online accommodations are also important
  • Don’t want to see endless practice tests for no reason; prefers use of STAAR Interim Assessment, Texas Formative Assessment Resource (TFAR)
  • This is part of the move to online assessments, most of the state is moving towards online assessments
  • Not effective this year, lands in Spring of 2023
  • STAAR test is built by teachers, always in need of volunteers, highlights website to nominate teachers
  • Releasing sample items for every item type this week, will have practice tests by the Fall, and field testing is ongoing
  • Won’t affect accuracy, hope is that changes will change backwards design behavior for the better in classrooms; will make it much harder for teaching to the test to occur in a negative way & will promote teaching standards of the SBOE

 

Questions

  • Georgina Perez, SBOE – Had a very troubling report from US HHS concerning sexual abuse at child detention center, sponsoring entity of center in question is Sunny Glenn and is also sponsor of a current charter application; proposed school is New Hop Resiliency Academy
    • Morath – Will need to find out
  • Ruben Cortez, SBOE – Would like this information shared with SBOE
  • Cortez – Regarding attendance, attendance is low, substitutes are in high demand; have families concerned about sending kids to school, is TEA doing anything to ensure funding gaps don’t occur?
    • Morath – Something we’re concerned about, we don’t have real-time attendance data
    • Looking at policy options, nothing to report yet or promise; have adjusted repeatedly throughout the pandemic and will continue to adjust
  • Cortez – Info provided this morning was helpful
  • Marisa Perez-Diaz, SBOE – Sunny Glenn board members are the same as for the new proposed charter, want us to take a deep dive as to why this charter is being considered
    • Morath – Applications don’t mean charter is being considered, application process is rigorous, long, and hard to get through; will investigate
  • Perez-Diaz, SBOE – You stated that there aren’t any states doing smaller summative assessments, was the intent of the bill to move to a formative assessment?
    • Morath – No, formative assessments are designed to inform future curricula; goal was to improve summative assessment
  • Lawrence Allen, SBOE – Asks after differing district strategies; some districts are saying TEA feels like a self-reporting agency
    • Morath – Best way to assess student progress is the end-of-year state plan, will know how efforts worked in June when we can begin diagnosing
    • Have many touchpoints with districts who want to engage more to give us operational insights
    • Aware of many bright spots, but very large challenge to recover from the disruption
    • TEA’s enforcement framework isn’t meant to be everywhere at once, respond to complaints
    • Courts also play a role
  • Rebecca Bell-Metereau, SBOE – Concerned about appointment of Stephen Balch to Advisory Comm. on Social Studies due to inflammatory comments
    • Morath – Out of my expertise, strictly a matter for the SBOE
  • Will Hickman, SBOE – Have spoken about considering periodic smaller tests and using AI for grading
  • Audrey Young, SBOE – Dyslexia handbook?
    • Morath – It’s posted, has taken effect and working to support the field
  • Tom Maynard, SBOE – Appreciates investment work
    • Morath – Looking forward to not handling this
  • Patricia Hardy, SBOE – Will there be a district report card from the Spring STAAR?
    • Morath – yes
  • Aicha Davis, SBOE – Colleague said that any charter with a 1619 Project should be eliminated; what are the trigger words that eliminate applicants?
    • Morath – No trigger words, there is a statutory prohibition about the 1619 Project, unlawful to teach
  • Pam Little, SBOE – Is there a mechanism to check if words in the writing prompts are words students know? Cites example of investment capital being used in a question
    • Morath – Complex and fascinating question; only way to set a strong set of expectations is for SBOE to consider this along with the student expectations
    • Could publish a book list and vocabulary guide as an addendum to student expectations
    • Could be a significant improvement
  • Chair Keven Ellis, SBOE – Massachusetts does have this broken down on grade levels & we do have a TEKS guide
    • Morath – As a base expectation it can be attached to student expectation, technical assistance would be a different matter
    • Would want to bring anything done in the technical assistance space back before this body

 

Presentation of Resolution

Audrey Young, SBOE

Tom Maynard, SBOE

  • Young presents Blue Ribbon resolution for 24 schools

 

Resolution Regarding Career and Technical Education Month

Brady Newman, Onalaska ISD

  • SBOE proclaims Feb 2022 as Career and Technical Education Month
  • Resolutions adopted

 

Public Testimony

Randy Houchins, Mechanical Engineer

  • First testimony was November 2017
  • Took TEKS assessments
  • Minimum passing scores for 3-8 grade levels down 35-37%
  • 35-40% for Algebra I and II
  • 2018-19 school year to 20-21 passing score dropped from 37% to 35%

 

Item 2: Approval of Consent Agenda

  • Hickman – How much does bond guarantee program cost in terms of PSF funds?
    • Maynard – not expending funds, just a guarantee to make the bond rating go to Triple A which means taxpayers are saving millions of dollars every year
  • Hickman – To date, the cost to the PSF is zero?
    • M – Correct
  • Consent agenda is adopted

 

Item 3: Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 130, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education, Subchapter E, §§130.161-130.166; Subchapter G, §§130.201-130.211; Subchapter H, §§130.221-130.234; Subchapter I, §§130.251-130.263; Subchapter L, §§130.331-130.343; Subchapter O, §§130.401-130.435; and Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development, Subchapter G, §§127.309-127.314; Subchapter I, §§127.402-127.415; Subchapter J, §§127.468-127.480; Subchapter M, §§127.625-127.648; and Subchapter O, §§127.742-127.776 (Second Reading and Final Adoption)

  • Little – Recommends the SBOE approve the proposed repeal of the above sections
  • Proposed new sections will be active 20 days after filing is adopted with the Texas Register
  • Recommendation adopted

 

Item 4: Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development, Subchapter G, Education and Training, §§127.311, 127.317, and 127.318, and Subchapter O, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, §127.783 and §127.784

  • Little – Recommends SBOE approval of the above proposed new sections
  • Hickman – Child development section 9A talks about children ages 12-19 years and I normally think of children 12-18
    • SBOE Staff – Many students are 19 when they exit high school
  • Hickman and staff discuss language in the proposal concerning the suggested amendment in child guidance in paragraph 7
    • Hickman – Let me look at it and we’ll get another look at it next meeting
  • Recommendation adopted

 

Item 5: Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements

  • Little – Recommends SBOE approve the above proposed amendments
  • Hardy – This is where we will take care of forensic pre-requisite or graduation requirement?
    • Martinez – SBOE will take final action next meeting and will take place next school year
  • Recommendation adopted

 

Item 6: Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 120, Other Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, Subchapter A, Character Traits

  • Little – Recommends SBOE approve the repeal of the above section and amendments to sections 120.3, 120.5, 120.7, and 120.9
  • Little – Amendment adds good citizenship, concern for common good, respect for authority, free from prejudice, gratitude in school pride, school spirit and make responsible decisions
    • Shelley – This was developed because it was recommended to make clauses all parallel
      • Amendment adopted
    • Recommendation adopted as amended

 

Item 7: Update on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Review

  • Little – SBOE recommends to direct workgroups to amend social studies TEKS using four strands:
    • Civics and government, geography, economics, and history
  • Hickman – PI; if we want to change our content advisor we could do that, but if I want to remove another’s content advisor I don’t have power to do that?
  • Ellis – There was a case where an individual who was appointed by two members was removed by them, but you are correct
  • Member – What if we have an advisor who did something egregious?
    • Ellis – Have nothing in our board operating rules or TEKS review process for that scenario
  • Martinez – The language says the board will be notified, like in the answer you gave where an advisor was not responsive, and they were removed
  • Ellis – Yes, those rules are available on the TEKS adoption page
  • Recommendation adopted

 

Committee on Instruction

Item 8: Proposed Approval of Innovative Courses

  • Melton-Malone – Civic discourse is one of our newer ones we gave a 3-year period so they can get students
  • Melton-Malone – The other courses who we gave 5 years to have already been established
  • Motion adopted as presented

 

Committee on School Finance – Presented by Maynard

  • In April will meet with the corporate board; corporate board begins functioning in 2023
  • Any committee member is welcome to attend those meetings
  • The staff in the new PSF corporation will be larger
  • Currently housed in the Moody Bank building and have to be out of there by Halloween 2023
  • Hickman – How often does the corporation board meet?
    • Maynard – Still waiting on one appointee; hopefully by March

 

Committee on School Initiatives

Item 9: Review of Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 230, Professional Educator Preparation and Certification, Subchapter B, General Certification Requirements, §230.11, General Requirements

  • Robinson – Recommends the SBOE takes no action on the proposed amendment
  • Ellis – Had a significant debate over this item
  • Robinson – This is no longer requiring another layer of English proficiency for a teacher to get certified
  • Robinson – Currently, there’s a redundancy and they have to get proficiency in both their home country and here
  • Robinson – Were reassured that the requirements they have to meet in their home country in conjunction with what’s required by each district would enable teachers to be effective in the classroom
  • Recommendation adopted

 

Item 10: Review of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 234, Military Service Members, Military Spouses, and Military Veterans

  • Robinson – Recommends the SBOE take no action on the proposed amendments
  • SBOE Member – What is the effect of this?
    • Robinson – It would allow military veterans to get credit towards teacher certification related to what they were doing in the military
  • Cortez – Did this also add the space force?
    • Robinson – Yes, because that has been added as another branch of the military
  • Recommendation adopted

 

Item 11: Review of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 249, Disciplinary Proceedings, Sanctions, and Contested Cases, Subchapter B, Enforcement Actions and Guidelines, and Subchapter E, Post-Hearing Matters

  • Robinson – Recommends SBOE take no action on the proposed amendments
  • Ellis – This one garnered a bit of debate, correct?
    • Robinson – Yes, was recommended as 3-2 vote
    • Currently have to sit out for 12 months for an abandonment contract
    • I talked to superintendents and they said the teacher shortage is so bad that if a teacher leaves a class mid-year, then they would have a sub for a period of 2-3 months
    • It goes beyond HB 2519
  • TEA Staff – Give/take with stakeholders to come up with new mitigating factors to address these issues; is not in compliance with HB 2519
    • Are already some good cause factors like health, changes in family situation, and relocation of spouse
    • SBEC wants to add a good cause factor as reasonable belief that educator had written permission from administration
    • The other thing the board is trying to decide in mitigating factors
  • Ellis – There is a proposed veto today; how long have they been working on this?
    • TEA Staff – At least 2 years
  • Perez – What kind of impact approving this would affect educators who had an abandonment contract in the past?
    • TEA Staff – These mitigating factors should not drive decision-making
  • Perez – Mitigating circumstances are statutorily required?
    • TEA Staff – Yes, board is required to look at all mitigating factors
  • Perez – Reasonable belief through written form?
    • TEA Staff – Yes
  • Perez – Is that expressively written? Is there any recourse for the person who accepts resignation who isn’t the superintendent and they don’t follow proper processes?
    • TEA Staff – There is not; school districts have discretion whether or not to report these
  • Maynard – Is it going to put our students in a situation where they do not have a teacher?
    • TEA Staff – Does not think that’s a well-founded concern; only thing a teacher could rely on for making a decision is the written proof
  • Maynard – Teachers should be getting counseling of some kind
    • TEA Staff – This is a very rare instance where someone can show a written document where someone gave them the go-ahead to resign
  • Young – Emotionally handicapped child? Chapter 37 talks about student removal so there’s policy in place that provides teachers the opportunity to resolve being harmed by a child; there isn’t any reason to add that to the SBEC rule
    • TEA Staff – We have not had cases where those actions were taken
  • Young – What is the response by TEA for districts that don’t follow the rule?
    • TEA Staff – The SBEC can only mark the certificate of an educator
  • Hickman – This will become a rule unless 2/3 veto; how many SBEC cases are there with suspension on the line?
    • TEA Staff – Since September, 300 reports of contract abandonment. In past years it has been between 50-60% of cases that come in
    • Hickman – This rule goes beyond HB 2519; I cannot approve this as is
  • Bell – Metereau – Recommend we take no action
  • Allen – Recommend we take no action
  • Perez – Texas is a right to work state except for education; if this rule is vetoed it would send a clear message to teachers that we do not care
  • Davis – This would shorten the suspension; is to help educators stay in the profession
  • Robinson – Agree with Perez; middle of the school year a district should be allowed to replace a poor-performing teacher with a better one
  • Ellis – If you vote yes, you will take no action which will allow this rule to take effect
  • Maynard – What part of this rule exceeds what?
    • TEA Staff – “Good cause factor” not required by HB 2519
    • Maynard – Is within their rulemaking authority
  • Motion is approved (12-3) opposed are Hickman, Robinson and Maynard

 

Item 12: REPORTS OF OTHER STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND CONCERNS IN INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS

  • Little – Was appointed to the Virtual Learning Commission; will visit with school districts to find out their needs; asks for contacts/districts they would like her to visit