TX Bd of Ed: 11/19/09 v4 Social Studies TEKS panels will NOT reconvene

Pat Hardy (R-Weatherford) asks the Board to consider letting the TEKS panels re-convene to discuss with the Board's experts the proposed changes to the TEKS. Mavis Knight (D-Dallas) also supports it. The faction lines up against re-convening them because "they've done their work, let's thank them and let them move on." They also expect frustration that they won't have time to re-review their work in time for a Board meeting. "If we think the TEKS need work, we can amend them ourselves."

Hardy (who's a social studies coordinator for her district) asked whether we could have a work-group member available in the audience. Chairwoman Gail Lowe (R-The Faction, Lampasas) says that there will be extensive public input at the hearing, and workgroup members can testify and/or be available in the audience then, but that would be on their own initiative.

Mavis Knight (D-Dallas) wants one representative of each work-group panel and the board-appointed experts to have their travel to a January Board Meeting covered. Mavis wants them to hear the public testimony about their work. Gail Lowe points out that this is making things more complex, and adds to the agenda. Barbara Cargill (R-The Faction, The Woodlands) thinks the process should be kept the way it was. Don McLeroy (R-The Faction, Bryan) also opposes. Mavis' motion goes down in a 4 to 4 tie, and she hints darkly that "I'll remember this when other members try to direct staff to do things." In the end, the Commissioner reminded the Board that they don't have the power to force the Agency to spend the money--they can only recommend.

Hints keep being dropped about how many people are expected at the hearings on the Social Studies TEKS--more than the 20 that already testified late on Wednesday.

Board didn't set up the system of "experts" for the English Language Arts electives. In Social Studies, the experts were given the existing TEKS, and they set recommendations for the writer panels. Now it's time for Technology Applications TEKS, some of which are covered in other courses (K-8), and several of which are stand-alone courses (typically in high school). The Agency wants to know which approach the Board wants for Tech Apps.