The Committee on Instruction met on January 27 to discuss the removal of outdated graduation requirements, approve small changes in instructional materials, renew instructional material contracts, and renew innovative course contracts. An archive of this hearing 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: Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter D, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2001-2002, and Subchapter E, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2004-2005 (Second Reading and Final Adoption)
- Staff – Housekeeping item to repeal “historical graduation requirements”
- One public comment received that recommended committee keep the requirements for students that return to high school to finish their degree later
- Misunderstanding from commenter because graduation requirements always follow the expectations from the year the reenrolled student entered 9th grade originally
- Motion to repeal graduation requirements; motion passes
Item 2: Approval of Updates and Substitutions to Adopted Instructional Materials
- Staff – Small changes to gender specific language in gymnastics book and the addition of image citations as well
- Motion to approve changes; motion passes
Item 3: Recommendations Regarding Renewal of Instructional Materials Contracts
- Staff – Tech apps are expiring at the end of this year; no new material until 2024 leaving a gap in content for teachers and students
- Staff provided a list of publishers who are interested in renewing contracts as well as their TEKS performance; also, a list of publishers who do not want to renew
- Melton-Malone – Are the publishers not wanting to renew only publishing in a small part of the state?
- Staff – Yes; will not drastically affect schools
- Motion to renew contracts with willing publishers; motion approved
Item 4: Proposed Approval of Innovative Courses
- Staff – State allows district to offer innovative courses that do not follow TEKS; 6 renewal courses of which 5 have existed for around a decade
- Civic Discourse course was only approved 2 years ago and has had little opportunity to thrive because of COVID; might want to consider how long to renew each of these courses
- Peer assistance for students with disability course has been approved on level 1 and 2; the submitter has found that there is small enrollment in the second course and has blended the content together forming one course
- Bell-Metereau – What renewal length would you recommend for Civic Discourse?
- With a shorter renewal the applicant could improve the program; 3 years is an appropriate amount of time for a beginning course renewal
- Melton-Malone – Newer courses are typically renewed for 3 years; older courses normally renewed for 5
- Motion to renew courses College Transition, Navigating Life for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, Methods for Academic Success, Student Leadership, and Peer Assistance for Students with Disability for 5 years; motion to renew Civic Discourse for 3 years
- Motion approved
Item 5: Rule Review of 19 TAC Chapter 89, Adaptations for Special Populations
- Staff – Normal cycle that reviews all SBOE rules; review entails aligning rules with statutory requirements, maintaining accurate cross records, and updating in accordance with new legislation
- Staff – Old graduation requirements from item 1 were found under this review process
- Staff – Will review chapter 89 next which provides rules for gifted and talented and special education; committee approve amendments or adoption in April