February 2015 Committee on Instruction
THURSDAY
February 12, 2015
9 a.m.
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION - Room 1-104
Members: Tom Maynard, Chair; Sue Melton-Malone, Vice Chair; Martha M. Dominguez; Geraldine Miller; Marisa B. Perez. A quorum of the State Board of Education may attend the committee meeting and discuss items on the committee agenda.
Public Testimony - Individual testimony will be taken at the time the related item comes up for committee discussion or action. The procedures for registering and taking public testimony at State Board of Education committee meetings and general board meetings are provided online.
1. Election of Chair
(no agenda exhibit)
State Board of Education (SBOE) operating rules call for each committee to elect a chair from among its members. This item provides an opportunity for each of the SBOE standing committees to elect a chair in the event that the SBOE elects to retain the existing committee structure. The chair may appoint a vice chair. If the board changes the committee structure, the committee may elect a member to preside over this first meeting only. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code, §7.107.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - NO ACTION
2. Approval for Substitution of Instructional Materials
Discovery Education, Inc. is requesting approval to substitute newer versions of its Discovery Education Science Techbook products for Kindergarten-grade 2, adopted under Proclamation 2014. The substituted content has been reviewed by curriculum subject-area specialists and determined to address the pertinent student expectations in a manner equal to the content initially reviewed and approved by the state review panel. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.022.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - ACTION
3. Recommendations Regarding Readoption of Instructional Materials
This item recommends readoption of instructional materials with contracts that expire on August 31, 2015. This action is recommended to ensure that these materials remain available for distribution to school districts until new replacements become available. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §31.003.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - CONSENT
This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Subchapter D, Other Science Courses. The proposal would update the course titles for International Baccalaureate (IB) science courses to align with other foundation subject area IB courses. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - ACTION
5. Discussion of School Library Standards
This item provides an opportunity for the committee to discuss the upcoming review and revision of the School Library Programs: Standards and Guidelines for Texas in collaboration with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §33.021.
COMMITTEE - DISCUSSION
SBOE - NO ACTION
This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.2, Description of a Required Elementary Curriculum, and §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum, in order to review any necessary changes to the middle school requirement prior to the implementation of the revised Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for fine arts in the 2015-2016 school year. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.102(c)(4) and §28.002.
COMMITTEE - DISCUSSION
SBOE - NO ACTION
7. Discussion of Support for Students in Foster Care
This item provides an opportunity for the board to discuss support for students in foster care, specifically related to transition assistance for students who transfer from one school to another, to align with requirements in the Texas Education Code (TEC), §25.007. Statutory authority is the TEC, §§7.102, 25.007, 28.002, 28.023, and 28.025.
COMMITTEE - DISCUSSION
SBOE - NO ACTION