THE CARGILL CONNECTION, August 2005

Dear Friends and Supporters,

It’s hard to believe that school is about to start!  Are you ready?  For my sons, early August means band camp, school orientations, and picking up football gear.  Throw in our family vacation to Yosemite and San Francisco, and our summer is just about wrapped up!  Before we go, I did want to send you this update about the State Board of Education business.

FOLLOW-UP TO THE JULY SBOE MEETING:

Here is an outline of what happened at the July State Board of Education meeting:

1.       Proposed amendments to the TEKS (state curriculum guidelines) for middle school and high school math:  The Board voted to approve for second reading and final adoption the proposed amendment that establishes the 2006-2007 school year as the implementation date for the refined and aligned secondary math TEKS.

2.       Proposed amendments to the TEKS for elementary math:  The Board unanimously approved the proposed amendments to refine and align the TEKS for elementary mathematics.  (First Reading and Filing Authorization) 

Special note:  In answering a question about the TEKS, TEA attorney David Anderson said the SBOE has the authority to change any TEKS it desires to change.  This is very good news.

3.       Proposed amendment to assessment, development, and administration of tests, performance standards:  The Board approved for first reading and filing authorization to phase in the standards for the Grade 8 Science TAKS test.  Another vote will be taken in September.

Special note:  The TAKS Middle School Science Grade 8 Information Booklet is now available in the Student Assessment website.  It can be accessed through the following link:

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/taks/booklets/science/g8e.pdf

Paper copies of the TAKS Middle School Science Grade 8 Information Booklet will be shipped to districts by August 12, 2005.  Please share this information with teachers and parents; the booklet is very helpful!

4.       Allocation of funds for the purchase and distribution of instructional materials:  The Board approved, contingent upon legislative appropriation, to set aside over $82 million for Proclamation 2001 for the purchase of instructional materials for fiscal year 2006.  Also contingent upon legislative appropriation, the Board approved to set aside over $378 million for Proclamation 2002 for the purchase of instructional materials for fiscal year 2006.  We want our students to get their new textbooks!

5.       Recommended penalty for failure to correct factual error in instructional materials adopted under Proclamation 2000:  The SBOE approved a penalty of $3,000 to Pearson Prentice Hall School Division for failure to make required corrections in instructional materials.

6.       Approval of an extension of the investment counsel services agreement with Callan Associates.  The Board directed TEA staff to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Investment Counsel Services for the Permanent School Fund.

7.       Presentation by the General Land Office on the management of the real estate investments for the Permanent School Fund.  General Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson gave a proposal for the use of an additional $50-$80 million in GLO funds for instructional materials.

ACTION ITEMS:

Please keep our hard-working legislators (and their families at home) in your thoughts and prayers as they continue to work on many important issues in Austin.  Right now all eyes are on Senate Bill 8 that is before the Senate Committee on Education.  Written by Senator Florence Shapiro, here are a few education highlights:

Increases educator salaries by $3,000 on average. Teachers will receive at least $1,500 more in 05-06 (which includes restoration of the pass-through as salary) and districts will have the discretion to use an additional $500 per teacher allotment for further increases for teachers or increases for support staff. Teachers will receive at least $2,750 increase in 06-07 and districts will have another $250 per teacher allotment to use at their discretion.

Provides state funding for any student who chooses to take college entrance exams such as the ACT or SAT, including pre-testing as well.

Increases flexibility and focuses funding on upgrading technology in the classroom, expands the Technology Immersion Pilot (TIP), and funds Proclamation 2002 textbooks.  (We want ALL of the textbooks that are sitting in warehouses to be paid for and in classrooms ASAP!  And it is a great idea to continue technology pilots---tested, tried, and true is the best way.  Let’s see if laptops really help kids learn in these pilot programs first.)

Provides for Target Tech Programs in each district to isolate and target campus and/or grade levels putting an emphasis on technology as a vehicle to convey instruction. The instructional materials allotment will be $150 per student starting in 07-08.

Requires that school districts spend at least 65% of available funds (excluding obligated debt service and federal funds) on instruction, including instruction in all curriculum subject areas.  (We must be careful if allotment dollars for books and technology are co-mingled.  We want our kids to still get good textbooks!)

Keep your ears open for more information about textbook funding, laptops in schools, school start dates, end-of-course exams (starting with Algebra I), and the SBOE’s role in the textbook adoption process.  Let your voice be heard—it makes such a difference when your elected officials hear from you!

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

OTHER HAPPENINGS:

*If you know of an expert computer teacher, please send me his/her name.  I would like to nominate a teacher to the Educational Technology Advisory Committee.  This committee works in an advisory capacity to assist in the identification of the needs and future directions of educational technology.  Two-day meetings will be held in October, January, and March and possibly in the summer.  All travel expenses are reimbursed.  Please let me know ASAP if you have a teacher in mind; the deadline is August 15.  E-mail me at sboe@barbaracargill.com.  Thank you!

*The 2005 accountability ratings were released on Aug. 1^st.  The public website address for 2005 accountability is:

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2005

*My 11 year old son Connor and I were guests on FM 88.3, American Family Radio, based in Willis, Texas.  My thanks go to host David Butacali for his kindness and for his thoughtful questions about education.

*The Charter School interviews will be held September 7-9 in Austin.  I will be attending as a member of the Planning Committee. This committee will interview each of the seventeen applicants for approximately one hour—please pray for us to have wisdom and good judgment about these important decisions.

*Over the next few weeks, I will speak at a Woodlands Kuwanis club meeting and also at a Republican Women’s club meeting.  I look forward to spending time discussing education issues with these fine men and women.  On that note, please contact me at sboe@barbaracargill.com if you would like for me to visit or speak to your club or group.  Education is a motivating and inspiring subject!  (I would especially like to meet people throughout my 24-county district.  You can see the counties in SBOE District 8 on the map at www.barbaracargill.com.)

*The next State Board of Education meetings are September 14-16 in Austin. 

It is a privilege to represent you and your children in Austin.  Many thanks go to those of you who contact me with your thoughts and concerns about education.  Your opinion matters and I am proud of you for wanting to make a difference in our state!

Enjoy these last few weeks of summer with your children and friends!

Barbara Cargill
State Board of Education, District 8
281-465-8095, www.barbaracargill.com

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to other people who have an interest in education.