The Texas Education Agency on Wednesday released updated instructional materials that the state Board of Education is expected to vote on in late November. The public can view the latest versions of the materials online.
The revisions come about a month after public comment and feedback during several hours of SBOE hearings last month, during which critics argued that English language arts for kindergarten through fifth grade They criticized the inappropriate inclusion of Bible stories in the reading curriculum and the privileging of Christianity over other religions. Supporters countered that Biblical stories have literary and historical value.
TEA previously told KUT in an email that “content originating from or relating to religious material is not included for the purpose of promoting religious beliefs.”
The agency announced Wednesday that it will use feedback from the SBOE meeting and a nearly three-month public comment period to “further refine, edit, and prepare the product for final submission.”
TEA developed the curriculum in response to legislation passed by Congress in 2023 to ensure students have access to grade-level materials in the classroom. House Bill 1605 would require the agency to create open source textbooks for use in public schools, among other things. School districts aren’t required to use them, but if they do, they can receive up to $60 per student.
TEA also announced this week that the state-developed textbooks have been officially branded as Bluebonnet Learning.
“Bluebonnet Learning, a collection of high-quality math and elementary reading instructional materials, improves student achievement by building foundational reading and math skills and providing Texas teachers with valuable curriculum and instructional support. ”TEA said in a news release.
The State Board of Education will meet from November 19th to 22nd.
