Public Feedback Sought on First Instructional Materials to Be Approved Under HB1605
The State Board of Education (SBOE) and TEA today separately announced (here and here) details on how the public can provide written feedback on the first sets of instructional materials that are being considered for SBOE approval under the HB1605/regular session legislation requiring the adoption of high quality instructional materials for Texas public schools.
IMRA Process
Currently under consideration by the SBOE are 142 instructional materials submitted by 25 publishers in the first cycle of the HB1605 mandated Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process.
These materials include full-subject, comprehensive instructional materials intended for classroom-wide instruction to support all students in K-5 Reading & Language Arts (in English and Spanish) as well as K-12 Mathematics. Additionally, partial-subject instructional materials for K-3 Phonics are also up for public review.
Written public comments are being accepted through Aug. 16.
Open Education Resources
Meanwhile, the TEA unveiled — to start the public feedback process — the first HB1605 mandated high quality Open Education Resources (OER) instructional materials (that will be free for schools to optionally use) in the subject areas of: 1) OER K-5 Reading & Language Arts and 2) OER K-8/Algebra Mathematics. (The SBOE has final approval authority over OER materials developed by the TEA under the education commissioner’s authority.)
The SBOE is tentatively scheduled to adopt the materials — for use in schools by the 2025-26 school year — during its November 2024 meeting — with many activities (including public hearings during board meetings) scheduled between now and then (timeline).