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:

Texas education leaders have talked recently about “high-quality instructional materials.” Why? And what are they?

Since the State Board of Education voted on a list of curriculums in November, including one with Biblical lessons, you may have heard some buzz about the classroom materials Texas schools use to teach children. 

Along the way, state and elected officials have used a phrase that’s foreign to many families: “high-quality instructional materials.” It’s a term that’s been around for a while, but it’s taken on more importance following the passage of a new state law in 2023.

So what does this phrase mean? And who decides if instructional materials are high-quality? Here’s what we know.

What are instructional materials?

Instructional materials are the things used to teach students a subject in school, such as lesson plans, grading rubrics or answer keys. The phrase also covers material used by students, like textbooks, workbooks, computer courses, DVDs, and other forms of media.

Who decides if instructional materials are high-quality?

A Texas law passed in 2023 outlined a process to create a list of approved classroom materials. The Texas Education Agency, whose leaders is appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, considers a curriculum “high-quality” if it meets a set of standards determined by the State Board of Education, whose 15 members are elected by Texas voters. 

The law also provides school districts with $40 to $60 per student each year if they use a curriculum off the vetted list. 

So what are the standards?

Instructional materials are dubbed high-quality if they meet the following criteria:

• Fully cover the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards, which are expectations set by the State Board of Education for what students should learn in each subject and grade level.
• Provide support for all kinds of learners, including students with disabilities, emergent bilingual students, and students classified as “gifted and talented.”
• Have no factual errors.
• Meet grade-level requirements.
• Use “evidence-based best practices” in core subject areas, such as reading, math, science and social studies. 
• Allow for teachers to frequently monitor the progress of student learning. 
• Meet state standards for prekindergarten and English language proficiency. 
• Meet manufacturing standards.

Why does this designation exist?

Lawmakers built this process as a way to help ensure materials in classrooms have been vetted for quality. State officials believe their approved curriculums will help raise student achievement and keep students performing academically on grade level.

The materials also are meant to be more readily available to teachers, rather than having teachers spend time searching for and creating their own instructional resources.

But the process is not without criticism. Some advocates argued in 2023 that the Republican-majority State Board of Education approved textbooks didn’t include proper information on climate change. In November, controversy surrounded a state-prepared, optional curriculum with Biblical lessons.

Why don’t all schools use high-quality instructional materials?

Local school boards and administrators decide what curriculum and materials their teachers use. School districts are not required to use curriculums with the high-quality designation.

Because legislators passed the law in 2023, the process of creating a full list of approved classroom materials is still in progress. Some districts use curriculums that have yet to be reviewed by the state, and others simply haven’t yet switched curriculums. 

Some districts, such as Houston ISD, have curriculum teams that create their own materials teachers use in-house in addition to using materials they buy from curriculum companies. 

Is my child learning with high-quality instructional materials?

You can search materials that have been reviewed to date by the State Board of Education here. While many districts post their curriculums online, they are often hard to find, so your child’s teacher or principal might be the best person to ask about the materials used in their school. 

Miranda covers Houston’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus. Despite roughly half of Houston’s higher-education students attending community colleges, there hasn’t been much news covering these systems or students — until now. Her reporting holds institutions accountable, highlights barriers faced by students and helps them navigate their opportunities. Reach Miranda at miranda@houstonlanding.org or on Twitter and Instagram.

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