By Katie Tobin Texas Insider Contributor
Fiscal responsibility whether in times of surplus or restraint is a virtue. Unfortunately the controversy surrounding the school curriculum for Texas students has obfuscated funding issues for instructional materials.
A May 18 American-Statesman editorial suggested that the State Board of Education should delay the purchase of new science textbooks. The state faces a severe budget shortfall the Statesman reasoned and withholding payment for new science instructional materials is one way to balance the states checkbook and send a strong message to those who meddle with the curriculum.
But sending messages aside its imperative that schoolchildren not fall victim to budget battles and curriculum controversy.
Texas must honor its commitment to provide students with the instructional materials needed to learn. And there is very little that is inexpensive about educating some 5 million Texas schoolchildren.
The State of Texas has a constitutional obligation (under the state Constitution not a federal mandate) to provide all 5 million Texas public school students with the necessary textbooks be it print or digital. Any amount multiplied by 5 million is a large number. T
his cost is a simple truth which no amount of clever accounting or fuzzy math can sidestep.
Here are the hard and fast numbers that are necessary to solve the math problem involving instructional materials for schoolchildren:
- The SBOE has already issued Proclamation 2011 which calls for the development and purchase of instructional materials for grades K-8 English as a second language students (ESL students) along with updated materials for pre-kindergarten spelling and English.
- These instructional materials are scheduled to be in classrooms in fall of 2011.
- Funding for Proclamation 2011 already has been reduced by 15 even though the 82nd Legislature when this funding will be appropriated has yet to convene.
- The cost of Proclamation 2011 is $495 million representing this 15
reduction.
- Funding for next session also includes two years of continuing contracts for 150000 new students who will be entering the classroom over the next two years.
- The cost of providing materials for them is approximately $393 million.
The states new science textbooks are estimated to cost $347 million and were scheduled to be funded in the upcoming 2011 session. On May 18 however the SBOE decided to postpone the request for these updated science instructional materials until the 2013 legislative session because of Texas budget shortfall.
As indicated by the media storm the state board voted on the proposed new social studies curriculum last week. The proclamation for social studies instructional materials has yet to be issued; however the new social studies materials are projected to cost $789 million and be funded in the 2013 legislative session at the earliest.
Its old news now that lawmakers will be faced with budget shortfalls mandating difficult choices when the Legislature begins in January. Legislators will make tough decisions and choose who will lose out on funding.
Unfortunately schoolchildren are especially vulnerable to the consequences of these budget cuts.
Time and again Texas lawmakers have dramatically cut the money the state appropriates for instructional materials leaving many students at risk of not receiving the educational materials they need for the subject matter theyre being taught in the classroom and tested on in statewide testing.
Momentarily overlooking the updated science instructional materials postponed fate further funding level reductions for Proclamation 2011 would have disastrous consequences for Texas students especially students who lack proficiency in English and need ESL materials.
Objections to curriculum standards should not effect funding levels for students
instructional materials.
Texans must be sure to keep a watchful eye on the decisions legislators begin to make in January so that schoolchildren do not once again find themselves on the losing end of budget cuts.
Tobin is the executive director of Texas Curriculum the Texas affiliate of the School Division of the Association of American Publishers (AAP).
