House Bill 1605 requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to adopt a list of literary works, at least one per grade level, into the TEKS. The initial list as proposed to the board by TEA recommended far more than the one title required in the bill. This excessively long list would take up the majority of instructional time, leaving little room for other essential instruction or student-directed readings. The number of titles also means districts would be obligated to spend significant amounts on purchasing these required texts. The proposed list also leans heavily on classic works, excluding more contemporary and diverse authors and subjects.
As we have previously written, one member has proposed an abbreviated version of the agency’s recommended list. Both lists are now open for informal public feedback through April 4. We invite all members of the public to submit comments via this portal.
It is important to note that any titles adopted as part of this process would mean those works will be part of the tested curriculum. Teachers already struggle with sufficient time to teach the standards. Adding more texts than the bill requires may create additional burdens on teachers and perpetuate the impulse to narrow instruction to only what appears on the STAAR.
Between now and the next SBOE meeting on April 7, we invite teachers, students, and concerned parents to post a video to social media alerting the board about books that they want to see on the lists or books that will no longer be in the classroom due to the currently proposed list.