SBOE Opens Public Comment for Submitted Instructional Materials in the 2024 Review and Approval Process
AUSTIN, Texas – May 29, 2024 – The State Board of Education (SBOE) today announced the start of the public comment period for instructional materials submitted as part of the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process.
House Bill (HB) 1605 (88th Regular Session) established the new IMRA process, which charges the SBOE with reviewing and approving high-quality instructional materials (HQIM). HQIM are curricular resources that ensure full coverage of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), align with research-based instructional strategies in each subject area, support all learners and include implementation support for teachers.
“The IMRA process is a critical component in ensuring that educational resources meet the highest standards for Texas kids and are a reflection of Texas values,” said SBOE Chairman, Aaron Kinsey. “We invite parents, educators and community members to participate in the review process, as their feedback is invaluable in shaping the future of education in our state.”
During the first IMRA cycle, 25 publishers submitted 142 products for review. These materials include full-subject, comprehensive instructional materials intended for classroom-wide instruction to support all students in K–5 Reading & Language Arts as well as K–12 Mathematics. Additionally, partial-subject instructional materials for K–3 Phonics are also up for public review.
All materials are being reviewed by independent teams of professional reviewers – teachers, parents and other curriculum experts – based on how well they support on-grade-level instruction of the SBOE’s curriculum standards, and they are also being evaluated based on rubrics the SBOE has developed to analyze instructional material quality and suitability.
In addition to these professional reviews, the SBOE welcomes review and feedback from all members of the public. Members of the public are encouraged to submit written comments, report suspected factual errors and share any suitability concerns. The public comment period ends Friday, August 16, 2024.
All feedback and recommendations collected from the public will be considered alongside findings from the professional review teams at forthcoming SBOE meetings as part of the approval process. The Board will vote on which materials will be approved as being the highest quality instructional material for Texas schools at its November meeting.
To see the list of materials submitted for review, access copies of the instructional materials themselves, SBOE feedback forms, and SBOE-approved IMRA rubrics, the public can visit sboe.texas.gov/imra.
###