Dear friends and supporters,
Between chairing the board, campaigning, and
being the mom of a high school senior (whom I will miss desperately
next year!), it has been a busy new year. I have been
campaigning diligently for my re-election bid. My opponent has
been busy too, so I need your help to win this race.
Please visit www.barbaracargill.com
to endorse me, to print an information card about me, to ask for a
sign, or to make a donation to my campaign. Donations whether
large or small are needed and appreciated so I can purchase signs and
mailers.
I would like to continue serving our children
especially as we see what is happening with education at the national
level. Have you heard of President Obama’s Race to the Top
program? See
http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/07/07242009.html.
All but five states, including Texas, have adopted the National Common
Core Standards (NCCS). Here is what the NCCS website promotes.
My comments are in red.
I know this is a lot to take in, but
it is what is happening in our country. Please join my
re-election team so that I can continue to stand with our Governor and
Commissioner of Education against the National Common Core Standards
being adopted in Texas.
What can you do?
Please help
get the word out to people in the new parts of my district:
The new SBOE District 8 represents the
counties of Houston, Trinity, Polk, San Jacinto, Walker, Montgomery,
Grimes, Brazos and East Harris County (including Humble, Deer Park,
Pasadena, LaPorte, Baytown, Channelview, Morgan’s Point, Seabrook,
Kemah, Lake Shores, Nassau Bay, Webster, and Friendswood) and West
Harris County (between I-10 and 290 including Waller).
Another way you can help is to go to my
Facebook page and “like” me so that your friends learn about me.
facebook.com/BarbaraCargillTXSBOE
RECAP OF
THE JANUARY SBOE MEETING:
These are highlights of actions taken by the
State Board of Education at its January 26-27 meeting. A
complete listing of all actions is posted at
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=5161.
(*This is a copy of the information I sent to
each member of the legislature; I do this after each board meeting so
that they can be informed as well.)
The board gave preliminary approval to new
mathematics curriculum standards for kindergarten through grade 12.
Final approval of the math standards will be under consideration on
the April agenda.
The board approved on second reading and final adoption proposed amendments to the state’s graduation requirements. The changes will be effective beginning with the 2012-2013 school year.
The new subchapter updates the graduation
requirements to align with recently passed legislation and allows
additional courses to satisfy certain graduation requirements.
In light of the changes made to the state
textbook adoption process by SB 6, the board updated its rules dealing
with the instructional materials adoption and distribution process.
(**SB 6 brought about many changes to the
adoption of instructional materials. Districts may now use state
money to purchase textbooks and other materials that are not on
the SBOE approved list. That means those textbooks or other
instructional materials have not been vetted by our state’s rigorous
adoption process. I will talk about this in more detail in a
future newsletter.)
It also updated the adoption schedule for this
material. Proclamation 2014 is scheduled to be issued at the April
2012 State Board of Education meeting. Proclamation 2014, which is
essentially a call for bids, will seek new science materials for all
grades; mathematics materials for kindergarten through eighth grade;
and technology applications material.
A committee of the board discussed current
statutory language associated with a Permanent School Fund non-profit
corporation. Many years ago, a bill was passed that allowed the PSF to
set up a non-profit corporation to run the fund, similar to the set-up
used by the Permanent University Fund with UTIMCO. Some current
board members expressed an interest in examining this action again.
This was a discussion item so no action was taken.
ACTION
ITEMS:
Math:
This is a link to the draft version of the K-12 math
curriculum standards:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=2147505083&libID=2147505078
. Final approval of the math standards will take place at the
April SBOE meeting. The public online comment period begins
February 24th. (**Please take
a look and let me know of any concerns that you have with the revised
math standards!)
UPDATE
ON SBOE ISSUES:
*If you are interested in having me speak to a
group in your area, please contact me at
sboecargill@sbcglobal.net. Concerned parents and citizens are
always interested in what the State Board of Education is doing on
behalf of our schoolchildren.
*In
honor of my appointment as Chair, Governor Perry graciously recorded a
message that you can view on this link. Please take a minute to
enjoy it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qONMp2Eo6xc
*There has been much
confusion about the new STAAR and End-of-Course exams. I suggest
that all parents whose children attend public schools watch the video
clip of the first 44 minutes of the SBOE meeting on Jan. 26th.
Commissioner of Education Robert Scott and board members discuss this
issue. Go to the TEA link (below); click on SBOE Committee of
the Full Board – 1.26.12; click on Archive Video Part 1; and then go
to marker 0:17 through 44:28. The TEA link is here:
http://www.texasadmin.com/tea.shtml
*This is a very interesting article about early
textbook wars.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/oct/10/culture-war-heroine-gets-her-due/
Quote from the
article:
"In Texas,
the state textbook committee in 2010 angered liberals by rejecting a
review panel’s recommendations to kick out Christmas and Independence
Day and ignore such famous Americans as Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein
and Neil Armstrong. Texas, the largest purchaser of textbooks after
California,
has been a thorn in liberals’ sides since 1961, when the late Mel and
Norma Gabler began exposing errors and bias. Famous example: One
history book had six pages on Marilyn Monroe and only a brief mention
of George Washington. The Gablers helped pave the way for the
West Virginia
revolt in 1974, and they spoke there during the protests."
************************************************************************************************************
The State Board of
Education will meet April 19-20 in Austin. You can always watch
a live webcast of the board meetings. We welcome that!
Here is the link:
http://www.texasadmin.com/cgi-bin/tea.cgi
I would like to leave
you with these thoughts that were sent to me by a dear friend.
Happy moments,
PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments,
WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK
GOD..
Thank you again for
your support and for allowing me the privilege of representing
you and your children.
For our children,
Barbara Cargill
Chair, State Board of Education
Please forward this e-mail to parents, teachers, administrators, and others who have an interest in education.