The State Board of Education (SBOE) met Friday morning to conclude its June meeting, which began with the board recognizing Arlington Collegiate High School Teacher Jennifer Fuller and Slaton Junior High TAP Master Teacher Katie Negen as 2017-2018 Milken National Educator Awards winners. The board also honored winners of the National Blue Ribbon Schools program and the 2018 Student Heroes Award.

The board moved quickly through most of the action items, but paused to amend a proposed rule change regarding credit by examination (CBE), which received criticism from school administrators in Thursday’s committee meeting. Member Ruben Cortez (D-Brownsville) expressed concern that certain provisions regarding external validation may amount to an unfunded mandate on school districts that currently have the freedom to develop their own exams. Member Sue Melton-Malone (R-Waco) noted that the board can make adjustments to the rule at future meetings based on stakeholder feedback.

Members also approved changes to the Dyslexia Handbook, which members plan to adopt into rule. The board also gave formal approval to revised TEKS for Social Studies and the newly-renamed Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies course. Member Tom Maynard (R-Florence) led a discussion about branding the Permanent School Fund (PSF) in order to promote awareness of the fund among the general public. The board will hold a competition to invite students to come up with a logo.

The board approved four new charter school applicants, but not before Member Cortez raised significant concerns about the expansion of charters in general and the subsequent degradation in both funding for traditional ISDs and public school accountability. Finally, the board discussed the timeline for releasing the Long-Range Plan for Public Education. The next scheduled board meeting is in September.

The board moved quickly through most of the action items, but paused to amend a proposed rule change regarding credit by examination (CBE), which received criticism from school administrators in Thursday’s committee meeting. Member Ruben Cortez (D-Brownsville) expressed concern that certain provisions regarding external validation may amount to an unfunded mandate on school districts that currently have the freedom to develop their own exams. Member Sue Melton-Malone (R-Waco) noted that the board can make adjustments to the rule at future meetings based on stakeholder feedback. Members also approved changes to the Dyslexia Handbook, which members plan to adopt into rule. The board also gave formal approval to revised TEKS for Social Studies and the newly-renamed Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies course. Member Tom Maynard (R-Florence) led a discussion about branding the Permanent School Fund (PSF) in order to promote awareness of the fund among the general public. The board will hold a competition to invite students to come up with a logo. The board approved four new charter school applicants, but not before Member Cortez raised significant concerns about the expansion of charters in general and the subsequent degradation in both funding for traditional ISDs and public school accountability. Finally, the board discussed the timeline for releasing the Long-Range Plan for Public Education. The next scheduled board meeting is in September.