HB 4294 is being sent to the Governor’s desk for his signature.  This bill received wide bipartisan support in both houses of the Texas legislature.  Every Senator supported the bill, both liberal and conservative.  Still, there are some who are opposing the bill because they perceive this as undermining the State Board of Education (SBOE).  I know that even some of our members feel this way as well.  As someone who has supported most conservative causes and been a strong supporter of the SBOE, let me give you the rationale as to why I support HB 4294.

It is important to note that the SBOE will still have complete control over the content of the curriculum and textbooks.  This bill requires districts to purchase at least a class set of textbooks for their schools.  IF districts CHOOSE to do so, they may purchase only the required class set, then use the rest of the funds set aside for textbooks to purchase additional supplemental items placed on a Commissioner’s list. The Commissioner’s list concept isn’t new.  The idea to include this list in HB 4294 came from the Student Success Initiative. In order to improve reading and math instruction, the state has funded instructional materials on the Commissioner’s list for qualifying schools. In order to get on the Commissioner’s list, a product has to go through a process to ensure that it meets the SBOE approved TEKS and that it has scientific-based research indicating that the product will improve academic achievement. 

HB 4294 does not eliminate the important statutory role of the SBOE in textbook review. As we all know, state and local funds have always paid for a variety of instructional classroom materials that were not approved by the SBOE. The intent of HB 4294 is not to undermine the SBOE.  Instead, it would allow districts that only use a class set of textbooks to use funds for instructional materials rather than wasting money on warehousing unused textbooks. 

I am urging you to contact Governor Perry to request him to sign HB 4294.  Those opposing the bill are calling him to ask him to VETO the bill.  We must let our voices be heard as well. 

Governor Perry needs to hear from those who support this measure…that HB 4294 is about our kids, and it’s about time.

 Will you contact Governor Perry’s office today, tell him that you support HB 4294, and ask him to do the same?  You can call the Governor’s office at 800-252-9600, fax a letter to  512.463.1849 or send comments via  e-mail at http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/assistance.aspx

Respectfully,

Jennifer Bergland

TCEA Advocacy Chair

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure