The Texas Education Agency has released a new statewide curriculum, which could save taxpayers money in the long term.
As reported by The Dallas Express, the TEA’s new curriculum is the first time Texas has published instructional materials for school districts.
The materials were created under the Instructional Materials Review and Approval process and run through its system to test whether the content will provide quality educational value in a classroom setting.
According to State Board of Education Member Julie Pickren, the new TEA curriculum is a “return to basics.”
“It’s bringing back a classical education in the public school setting and then raising the bar on academic rigor,” Pickren told The Dallas Express.
Currently, Texas school districts have to pay publishers to use their educational materials. However, the TEA’s new curriculum will be free for all Texas educators.
“School districts spend a lot of tax dollars on instructional materials,” explained Pickren. “I mean, it can go from the thousands to the millions what school districts are spending on instructional materials, so the fact that the states already paid for it and it’s free is huge for the local taxpayer.”
Pickren believes that the opportunity for school districts to use the TEA’s new curriculum will allow for districts to reallocate money usually spent on instructional materials and use it toward alleviating high property taxes and teacher’s financial pressures.
“If the school district is already paying teachers a great wage, then it could be [put towards] lowering property taxes for the local school district because they’re not having to spend all that money on instructional materials,” Pickren told The Dallas Express.
Pickren also explained that the TEA’s curriculum will come with already-created lesson plans. This allows teachers more time for other classroom activities, as they will not need to create their own lesson plans.
Pickren added that the curriculum will ensure students are receiving the same education regardless of the district they attend school in.
“The problem with the academic rigor that we have seen throughout Texas is it varies so greatly from district to district, and the way the Texas economy is now, people tend to move a lot,” said Pickren.
“Parents are really seeing this. They’re saying, ‘Okay, in one district, my child was at this reading grade level, and then I go to another district, and they’re behind.’ Or, ‘I moved to another, and they’re ahead.’ The state providing instructional materials, especially in the lower grades…where kids are learning how to read, is going to provide a standard throughout the state,” she continued.
The news of the new curriculum comes after the TEA reported student results from the 2024 STAAR test—the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness—which show that students’ performance has declined compared to 2023. Additionally, the percentage of 3rd-8th grade students meeting grade level in the assessed subjects was a failing 26 to 54 percent.
The curriculum is currently undergoing its final sets of reviews by the state board, and all learning materials, worksheets, and teacher guides will be available online for parents to review.
