By Geraldine Tincy" Miller State Board of Education District 12
Plans were discussed recently to replace printed textbooks with electronic ones in the states pubic schools. Although some state leaders prefer moving in this direction I would urge that it not be a top-down approach or a cost-shifting strategy for the state. And most important I would insist that the quality of the materials be the central focus of any change.
Educators should lead any such transition not the state.
Various studies have shown that when college students have the option of choosing between e-books and printed textbooks they overwhelmingly choose the printed textbook because it is easier to read and reference. Therefore parents educators and local textbook committees and school boards should have some say over the format as well.
Moving to an entirely electronic format is a major change for schools. Each district will have to figure out the total cost of:
- Buying the devices
- Training teachers
- Setting up the devices
- Making sure they work for blind students
- Maintaining insuring & protecting them from theft and/or damage; and
- Providing uninterrupted Internet connectivity with Internet filters.
These are all new costs that must be addressed at a time when school districts are facing financial crises and laying off teachers.
Obviously hardware becomes outdated much more quickly than textbooks.
Is your laptop six or ten years old? By law instructional materials must last at least six years and often will be in classrooms as long as 10 years.
This scenario leads me to my second point:
- The state should not use this move to shift costs to the local level.
If the state is just buying digital materials because they cost less but districts still want print or are not yet equipped to go digital that would shift tremendous costs to our local schools and taxpayers.
Will the state make districts choose between spending money on content or devices?
The Legislature has not properly funded the Technology Allotment which was created to provide funding for technological equipment and last session it passed legislation that allows districts to use state textbook funds for equipment. Our textbook fund was established to provide students with access to quality learning materials at no cost to local districts.
Because of this new legislation your child might not have materials to bring home.
The equipment is simply the means to access the content and we must always remember that it is the content on the devices that is most crucial to our students.
While electronic content can provide some richer experiences it does not necessarily translate to every subject area. Furthermore some argue that free Internet options are available to answer the question of cost.
However free materials certainly do not necessarily live up to standards in which we would like our teachers to operate. Accountability is a primary issue here. Make no mistake about it: If we
dont have quality content the devices will simply be empty boxes.
Whether in print or electronic format the State Board of Education certifies the accuracy and alignment of this content to the curriculum and that is the key to ensuring our students a quality education.
Any further erosion of this system any mingling of state textbook funds for hardware and any further shifting of costs from the state to the local level will endanger our students education and overburden our schools and taxpayers.
Please contact me via my website by clicking here should you have any questions or concerns.
Tincy Miller represents Dist. 12 on the Texas State Board of Education. A Member since 1984 she was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to serve as Chair from 2003-2007.
Plans were discussed recently to replace printed textbooks with electronic ones in the states pubic schools. Although some state leaders prefer moving in this direction I would urge that it not be a top-down approach or a cost-shifting strategy for the state. And most important I would insist that the quality of the materials be the central focus of any change.
Educators should lead any such transition not the state.
Various studies have shown that when college students have the option of choosing between e-books and printed textbooks they overwhelmingly choose the printed textbook because it is easier to read and reference. Therefore parents educators and local textbook committees and school boards should have some say over the format as well.
Moving to an entirely electronic format is a major change for schools. Each district will have to figure out the total cost of:
dont have quality content the devices will simply be empty boxes.
Whether in print or electronic format the State Board of Education certifies the accuracy and alignment of this content to the curriculum and that is the key to ensuring our students a quality education.
Any further erosion of this system any mingling of state textbook funds for hardware and any further shifting of costs from the state to the local level will endanger our students education and overburden our schools and taxpayers.
Please contact me via my website by clicking here should you have any questions or concerns.
Tincy Miller represents Dist. 12 on the Texas State Board of Education. A Member since 1984 she was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to serve as Chair from 2003-2007.
