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THE CARGILL CONNECTION, November 2006
Dear friends and supporters, It’s already time to tell you about current State Board of Education news. We meet November 15-17 in Austin.
ON THE NOVEMBER SBOE MEETING AGENDA: 1. Proposed Amendment to Proclamation 2005 Regarding Teacher Editions: Instructional materials submitted under Proclamation 2005 are scheduled for adoption by the SBOE in November 2007. The proposed amendment to the proclamation requires publishers to also provide teacher editions in an electronic format such as CD, DVD or as an online product to school districts. 2. Discussion of Definition of Instructional Materials: This item provides the opportunity for discussion of the recent Attorney General Opinion relating to the State Board of Education (SBOE) development of rules further defining the components of the statutory definition of “textbook” by defining the phrase “system of instructional materials” or “supplementary instructional materials.” (I was pleased with the opinion given by the Texas Attorney General about this complicated issue. Although the media interpreted the decision in a variety of ways, I am including excerpts from an informative article by Will Lutz dated September 2006 in The Lone Star Report, “Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott has decided to enforce a section of the Texas Education Code (TEC) that allows the State Board of Education to insist that textbooks foster an appreciation of the United States of America. The TEC, Sect. 28.002(h) states: The State Board of Education and each school district shall foster the continuation of the tradition of teaching United States and Texas history and the free enterprise system in regular subject matter and in reading courses and in the adoption of textbooks. A primary purpose of the public school curriculum is to prepare thoughtful, active citizens who understand the importance of patriotism and can function productively in a free enterprise society with appreciation for the basic democratic values of our state and national heritage.” The article also says that the AG opinion “states that textbooks must comply with 28.002(h) regarding U.S. and Texas history. It also states that the board may adopt rules regarding the ancillary materials publishers provide with the book. The opinion gives the board through its rules, not the publishers; the right to determine what is an ancillary material.” This is further in the article: “The decision is a huge victory for the citizens of Texas in that it confirms the Texas Board's democratic check and balance over otherwise unaccountable textbook editors and publishers.”) 3. Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, and Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008: This item presents for second reading and final adoption proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, and Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008. The proposed amendments reflect technical corrections for clarification and consistency throughout the chapter as well as recent legislation passed by the 79th Texas Legislature in the regular session and the third called session. (The board is charged with overseeing graduation requirements and will approve specific science and math courses to fulfill the new law requiring four years of high school science and math starting with the freshman class of 2007. I will continue to vote for requirements that fulfill the intent of the Legislature when they passed this law--to ensure that the Recommended and Distinguished graduation plans truly prepare students for college and/or for the workplace. Unfortunately many students graduate from Texas public schools unprepared for the challenges they will face. Less than 20% demonstrate academic proficiency that is needed for success in college; about 50% of our college freshmen must seek remedial help. I am working very diligently to come up with the best graduation plans for our Texas public school students by talking to legislators, educators, and parents. ) 4. Discussion of Spelling Research: This item provides the opportunity for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to hear a presentation by Dr. Louisa Moats on the latest spelling research, including recent studies she has conducted. 5. Discussion of College Readiness: This item provides an opportunity for the board to hear a presentation by Shirley J. Neeley, Commissioner of Education; Dr. Raymund Paredes, Commissioner of Higher Education; and Laurie Rich, Special Advisor to the Governor on the Industry Cluster Initiative regarding new legislation about college readiness curriculum/vertical alignment. 6. Legislative Recommendations for the 80th Texas Legislature: This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to make decisions on legislative recommendations to the 80th Texas Legislature. (Each board member was given the opportunity to think about goals in education that we would like for the Legislature to accomplish. These goals will be voted on at our meeting, compiled into a list, and sent to each legislator.) 7. Report and Recommendations from Commissioner of Education Regarding Instructional Materials Offered for Adoption in 2006: Proclamation 2004 of the State Board of Education (SBOE) calls for new instructional materials to be used in school districts and open-enrollment charter schools beginning in 2007-2008. This item will present the report and recommendations from the commissioner of education that instructional materials offered for adoption be placed on the conforming list, placed on the nonconforming list, or be rejected. Recommendations will also be made regarding manufacturing standards and specifications, and correction of factual errors to be required in adopted materials. (The work of the diligent math book reviewers, including the 14 volunteers from District 8 who I nominated last spring has resulted in textbook recommendations that meet state guidelines. Of course there were also textbooks that were placed on the nonconforming list. The board will review the panel recommendations. Again, a hearty thanks to the dedicated teachers and business professionals who served our children in such a fantastic way! Their efforts will benefit math education for years to come.) 8. Decision on the Percentage Distribution of the Permanent School Fund: This item provides an opportunity for the board to evaluate and determine the percentage distribution of the Permanent School Fund for the fiscal years beginning September 1, 2007 and September 1, 2008. (As fiduciaries of the PSF, the board sets the percentage distribution rate and the Legislature will then appropriate the funds when they reconvene in January.) 9. Discussion of Requested Topics Related to the Statewide Assessment Program: At the request of board members, this item allows the committee to discuss the following topics related to the statewide assessment program: compensatory scoring model for exit level testing, assessment of students struggling to be successful on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) but who do not qualify for special education services, and programs to support student achievement. 10. Discussion of Graduation Requirements for International Baccalaureate Students: This item was requested by a board member and provides the opportunity for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to discuss graduation requirements for International Baccalaureate (IB) students.
OTHER HAPPENINGS: Please contact me at sboecargill@sbcglobal.net if you would like to invite me to visit your school or club meeting. Current education issues such as the TAKS test, textbooks, the TEKS (state curriculum standards), technology, etc. are covered in a lively discussion format. * November 13: Speaker at Texas Business Technology Educators Association Conference in Nacogdoches (8:30 A.M.) * November 13: Speaker at Delta Kappa Gamma Society meeting (professional women educators) in The Woodlands (5:30 P.M.) * November 15-17: SBOE meetings in Austin * November 27-28: Charter School Conference in Houston * November 30: Speaker at Montgomery College education classes * December: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
*This is
just in from TEA:
Nominations to Proclamation 2005 State Review Panels Proclamation 2005 of the State Board of Education calls for bids on new instructional materials for elementary mathematics to be submitted for state adoption in the year 2007. Your cooperation is requested in helping to identify individuals who can serve on the state review panels. State review panel members are charged with evaluating instructional materials to determine coverage of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and with identifying factual errors. Panel members play a very important role in determining which conforming and nonconforming instructional materials will be used in the schools for the next few years. State review panel members will attend an orientation/training meeting in June 2007. After this meeting, the panel will remain on-site for a period of four to five days to conduct an evaluation of instructional materials bid and provided by publishers. The work that each person appointed to a state review panel performs will impact the education of students for years to come. Nomination forms are due by Dec. 15, 2006.
FAMILY CORNER:
*Did you know? High schools receive an allotment for every student as part of the legislation passed in the special session last May. Allotment funds flow directly to districts and then districts make decisions about how to spend these funds based on allowable uses for the high school allotment as outlined in the statute and in the proposed rules. A draft of the proposed rules can be found at the following link: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/rules/commissioner/proposed/0806/61-1091-one.html. The funds are to be used by districts and campuses to ensure that students have access on the high school campus to academically rigorous courses, including Advanced Placement courses, dual credit courses, and four years of math and science, and for programs that prepare students for college. If you are interested in ensuring that schools offer certain programs or spend the funds in a certain manner, I recommend that you contact the principal at the local high school, the central office administrator in charge of high schools, and the appropriate school trustees to find out what plans the district has for use of the high school allotment funds. *College Degree worth Extra $23,000 a Year: Did you read the article about the value of a college education? If not, here is the link. *Website for Parents: There is a wonderful website that addresses many issues that we as parents face. One of our high school counselors recommended it. You can sign up for the newsletter and have it delivered to your e-mail address. The web site is http://www.theantidrug.com/newsletter.asp. *Thank you to our troops: Try this from Xerox. If you go to this web site, http://www.letssaythanks.com/ you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to some member of the armed services. It is FREE and it only takes a second.
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With humble thanks,
New e-mail address: sboecargill@sbcglobal.net
Pictures at: www.barbaracargill.com/pictures.htm.
Texas Education Agency SBOE Minutes here (Check out things for yourself!)
Coming Events... Come show your support for Barbara Cargill. If you'd be interested in having Barbara come speak to you, let us know at any of the contact numbers and e-mail below. Thanks!
"He only asks thee to yield thyself to Him, that He may work in thee to will and to do by His own mighty power. Thy part is to yield thyself and His part is to work; and never, never will He give thee any command which is not accompanied by ample power to obey it." - Hannah W. Smith |
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