Each week, “Answer Key” aims to help families by responding to an important question about education and schools in Greater Houston. If you have a question for us to answer, please email us at education@houstonlanding.org or fill out the form at the end of this article.

This week’s question:

Who decides what students learn in Texas’ public schools?

The State Board of Education’s vote last week to approve a new curriculum with Biblical lessons highlighted the role of a little-known but important government body. The 15-member board plays a big part in deciding what Texas students learn and how they learn it.

Yet it’s not the only group with power over public school lessons in Texas. The state Legislature, local school boards and others also have a big impact.

Here’s what to know about who decides what children learn in Texas public schools.

What is the federal government’s role in deciding what Texas students learn?

The federal government doesn’t play much of a part in what Texas students learn, though it sets some rules and requirements for states.

For example, federal law requires each state to give some kind of reading, math and science standardized test to students in several grade levels. States have wide authority to design the tests.

Federal law also specifies that schools must follow anti-discrimination laws and give special support to students with disabilities.

The federal government has tried, at times, to exercise more power over what students learn, though some of those efforts have faced criticism from advocates of more local and state government control. In the early 2010s, the federal government provided money to states that adopted Common Core State Standards, which broadly outlined what students should learn in key subjects. However, Texas chose not to participate.

What is the state Legislature’s role in deciding what students learn? 

Texas lawmakers have established the outline of what students should learn, though they’ve delegated most of the specifics about curriculum and learning standards to the State Board of Education.

State legislators require that all school districts must have a “foundational curriculum” that includes 12 subjects, including English language arts, math, science, social studies and physical education.

State law is more specific about what students must learn in a few subjects. For example, social studies classes must cover Texas history, U.S. history, world history, government, geography and economics, as well as several documents related to America’s founding.

What is the State Board of Education’s role? 

Building on the outlines set by state lawmakers, the State Board of Education details hundreds of things that Texas students should be learning and able to accomplish, a set of expectations known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS.

The TEKS are broken down by subject and grade level, giving local educators direction on what they should be teaching children.

The state board develops and regularly refines the TEKS in partnership with educators, parents, business leaders and other Texans. They vote on changes during board meetings typically held every two to three months.

To read the TEKS and learn more about them, click here.

The State Board of Education also votes to designate certain learning materials, or curriculums, as “High-Quality Instructional Materials.” School districts are not required to use curriculums with the high-quality designation, though they can get $40 to $60 per student each year for using them.

Who’s on the state Board of Education and how do they get there?

Texans vote for the 15 members of the State Board of Education, with seven serving two-year terms and eight serving four-year terms. The elections are partisan races, meaning candidates run as a Democrat, Republican or member of another political party. 

The 15 members come from different areas in the state, with each representing a roughly equal number of Texas. Currently, Republicans hold 11 seats on the board and Democrats have four.

Four board members represent Greater Houston:

• Staci Childs, a Democrat, who primarily represents much of eastern Harris County
• Will Hickman, a Republican, who primarily represents northwest Harris County and most of Montgomery County
• Audrey Young, a Republican, whose district covers parts of Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties and all of Waller County
• Julie Pickren, a Republican, who represents most of Fort Bend County and all of Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston and Liberty counties.

Click here to find who represents you. 

What role do local school boards, administrators and teachers play in how kids learn?

Local school boards and administrators ultimately decide how children learn in their district — as long as they follow laws and rules set by state and federal officials.

Texas law specifies that the Texas Education Agency cannot require a school district to adopt a curriculum, leaving that power solely in the hands of local education leaders.   

Before a school district puts a curriculum in place, districts must receive teacher input, feedback from employees and get approval from the board of trustees.

Finally, teachers provide the most hands-on instruction to students, helping them learn the TEKS while following state and federal laws. Under state law, districts must provide “sufficient time” for educators to teach and for students to learn the TEKS.

The post Answer Key: Who decides what Texas public school students learn in class? appeared first on Houston Landing.