curriculum

The Board decided that this course was so similar to the "Communication Applications" course, that they decided to kill this one, and voted to do so unanimously.

All of the reading/literature programs were adopted so quickly and quietly that most observers missed it. After returning from break, Ken Mercer (R-The Faction, San Antonio) gave a grand "personal privilege" speech talking about how glorious it is that we've returned to phonics. "Our governor will be so proud," he said. "This is a historic moment in time."

Geraldine "Tincy" Miller (R-North Dallas) agreed and pointed out that nobody had signed up for public commentary on Reading. She says it's clear that hard work was done on committees to make sure these were solid curricula.

Pat Hardy (R-Weatherford) moves that the Board rules REQUIRE that ancillaries be provided electronically (digital or web-based) ONLY. She thinks the fact that the pre-K call is for a "system" will protect the unique needs of that grade. She believes that eliminating all of the shipping and expense involved will help publishers deal with the need for lower prices, given the state's budget woes. It is now forbidden for publishers to include print ancillaries.

Even seasoned Board-watchers might have missed a couple of items which sailed through on the Board's consent agenda: Fines for publishers. Everything's always bigger in Texas, and that's true of the fines as well. (Practically, they are really "credits" against the next time the State orders books as replacement copies or in the next adoption.) There are two primary ways you can be fined. For errors in your books (or other materials) OR for not having enough on hand at the start of the school year.

ERROR FINES:

In 2000 or so, Texas invented "Integrated Physics and Chemistry," a reinvention of what some folks called "High School Physical Science." It was a huge change, because it required more content than the traditional H.S. Physical Science course, so a number of publishers had to scramble to create new materials for the course. It was also invented to allow students to get content from physics and chemistry before the high school TAKS science exam, rather than relying in 11th grade on what they remember from 6th grade. It also covered concepts kids might need before biology in the 10th grade.

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."

When the Board realized it had a budget problem, they asked all the publishers to lower their prices (unprecedented). Some did a little, some did more, and one company, A+RISE, proposed offering an electronic-only product as part of a statewide site-license for the English Language Proficiency Skills for 9-12, where all 15,000 high school teachers across the state would have access.

The Board heard a gently worded but firm appeal from their Parliamentarian for a return to better adherence to Parliamentary rules of procedure as a way to manage their time. (He also deftly hinted that if there proceedings were exercised with more decorum, it would improve the outside opinion of the Board.)

The opening salvos of the 2010 election campaign were being fired loud and clear in yesterday's State Board of Education meeting, especially when Social Studies came up late--I had to leave before they started, and will review the public testimony later and add commentary to this space this weekend. But all the usual conservative suspects were there, from Texans for Prosperity to the Free Market Foundation to the Texas Eagle Forum, so it's not too hard to imagine what they had to say...

1:40 pm Board is back after lunch break. On a 12-item agenda, they've finally wrapped up item 4 and are ready for item 5--repealing old TEKS that were replaced by newly approved TEKS.