House Bill 1605 and IMRA

House Bill (HB) 1605

HB 1605 was passed during the 88th Texas Legislature (Regular Session) and established an expanded process for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to approve high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), increased funding for HQIM, supported parent transparency with instructional materials, created clear teacher protection guidelines for planning time, and provided new requirements for Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) review and revision. 

More specifically, HB 1605: 

  • Created new criteria for instructional material review (now known as the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process).
  • Required local school systems to establish a classroom instructional material review process.
  • Mandated that publishers make IMRA-approved textbooks accessible online to parents.
  • Tasked TEA to develop state-owned textbooks that are subject to approval by SBOE (now known as Bluebonnet Learning instructional materials).
  • Provided optional teacher training for districts to utilize the materials and a related grant for educator prep programs.
  • Allocated more funds to the Instructional Materials and Technology Allotment (IMTA).
  • Established two new instructional materials funding entitlements (on top of the IMTA) for districts that choose to use SBOE-approved instructional materials or state-developed open education resources.
  • Required a new vocabulary and book list addendum to the Reading Language Arts (RLA) standards.
  • Created flexibility in the TEKS review and revision schedule.
  • Prohibited the use of three-cueing in phonics materials.
  • Mandated that teachers cannot be required to use bi-weekly planning time to create initial instructional materials unless there is a supplemental duty agreement with the teachers.​

Learn more about HB 1605 and its impact for local educational agencies (LEAs):

IMRA

The new Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process replaces the former SBOE Proclamation and Texas Resource Review (TRR) processes. IMRA was enacted under HB 1605 and brings new components to a single, SBOE-governed review of instructional materials. It outlines how instructional materials will be reviewed, though the SBOE has final authority on approvals, the process, and the criteria used. 

The IMRA process involves a variety of stakeholders, including the SBOE, trained IMRA reviewers, TEA staff, and the public. Each stakeholder has a different role in the process but all work toward the same goal of delivering a final review report on all submitted materials. 

Following the review of instructional materials, the SBOE will vote to determine which materials to add to a list of approved instructional materials. Any instructional materials added to that list will be eligible for the new funding entitlements. As per HB 1605, the IMTA was restored in HB 1 to traditional levels (roughly $1B per biennium). In addition to IMTA, HB 1605 established two new Foundation School Program (FSP) entitlements for SBOE-approved instructional materials:  

  • SBOE-Approved Instructional Materials Entitlement (TEC, §31.022 and TEC, §48.307): supports the purchase of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) approved by the State Board of Education; public school systems are entitled to $40 per student per year.
  • State-Developed Open Education Resources Entitlement (TEC, §48.308): any school district that chooses Texas OER is entitled to an additional $20 per student to cover the costs of printing the textbooks. 

The inaugural IMRA Cycle 2024 is in its final stages while IMRA Cycle 2025 is just beginning. Visit the SBOE IMRA Webpage to learn more about the IMRA Process and review information related to each IMRA cycle: 

IMRA Timeline for Implementation

The timeline outlines the SBOE plans for implementation of the IMRA process. The timeline shows the timeline for implementation for both IMRA Cycle 2024 and IMRA Cycle 2025. Please note that dates with an asterisk (*) are tentative and may change. 

 
 
2023

June 2023

IMRA 2024: SBOE held a work session discussing the background and implementation timeline associated with HB 1605. This timeline will impact when new funds will be available for school systems to use when purchasing SBOE-approved materials.

View the work session presentation.

September 2023

IMRA 2024: SBOE discussed the overall IMRA process and approach to the quality rubric design.

View the recording of the SBOE meeting.

 

November 2023

IMRA 2024: SBOE began the discussion of IMRA criteria process and related rules.

December 2023

IMRA 2024: SBOE will continue the discussion of IMRA criteria process and related rules.

 
2024

January–February 2024

SBOE BOARD MEETING

IMRA 2024: SBOE approved quality rubrics for Cycle 2024, a suitability rubric, IMRA process, and new administrative rules.

April 2024

SBOE BOARD MEETING

IMRA 2024: SBOE continued the rulemaking process for the next batch of administrative rules that will govern the list of approved instructional materials.

IMRA 2024: The SBOE also discussed the considerations for determining the next set of quality rubrics for IMRA Cycle 2025.

 

May–August 2024

IMRA 2024: First set of submitted instructional materials are reviewed by teams in the IMRA process.


IMRA 2024: Instructional materials are available to the public for review and feedback on the SBOE website.

June 2024

SBOE BOARD MEETING

IMRA 2024: The SBOE held a public hearing on any and all materials under consideration.

September 2024*

SBOE BOARD MEETING

IMRA 2024: SBOE reviewed IMRA reports and all public feedback. Public testimony on any and all materials was held. 

November 2024*

SBOE BOARD MEETING

IMRA 2024: SBOE will vote and decide to place reviewed instructional materials either on the approved or rejected list or take no action.

 

December 2024*

IMRA 2024: IMRA reports will be available for districts to compare reviewed instructional materials.

 
2025

March 2025

IMRA 2024: SBOE-approved instructional materials will be available in the EMAT system for district requisition.

July 2025

IMRA 2024: New instructional materials are shipped. Districts conduct professional development to orient teachers to the new materials.

 

August 2025

IMRA 2024: Districts that purchased new instructional materials will begin implementation in classrooms.