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A Microsoft Word version of this letter is available for download
and PRINTING. |
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April 16, 2010 The 81st Texas Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 2488 and HB 4294 that provide additional options for instructional materials for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. These new laws allow school districts to determine whether printed and/or electronic textbooks best serve the needs of their student populations and give districts an opportunity to generate textbook credits. These credits can be used to purchase additional textbooks or electronic textbooks and technological equipment that support the use of electronic textbooks. The additional options for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools will not be available by the time EMAT opens on April 19, 2010. Requests for Proposals for electronic textbooks were released in January and received in March to review for alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. The review process is currently underway and expected to be completed in early May. Before the commissioner places an electronic textbook or instructional material on the approved list, the State Board of Education (SBOE) must be given an opportunity to comment on the electronic textbook or instructional material. The Commissioner’s List is scheduled to be presented for discussion at the May SBOE meeting scheduled during the week of May 17, 2010. The new options will be placed in EMAT after that meeting. No state-developed open-source materials or university open-source materials will be available for the fall of 2010. EMAT training has been scheduled and will include instructions on how to acquire the additional options for instructional materials. Information regarding a statewide training session conducted by experienced textbook coordinators (who have been thoroughly trained on the enhanced system by the EMAT developers), was sent to all district textbook coordinators on April 7, 2010, via e-mail. Training will be recorded and made available on our website for those who cannot participate. In addition to the training, proposed Commissioner’s Rules for Electronic Textbooks are under review. The proposed rules for electronic textbooks will be posted on the Texas Register for 30 days for public input and also made available on the Texas Education Agency website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2388 within the next several weeks. Details regarding additional options for instructional materials in School Year 2010-2011 were provided in the Letter to the Administrator Addressed dated February 19, 2010. Flow charts displaying the sequence of actions associated with the processing of requests for SBOE-adopted and Commissioner-adopted instructional materials along with the possible use of credits were also provided. If you have additional questions, please contact Chuck Mayo, Manager of Distribution and Accessibility, by e-mail at charles.mayo@tea.state.tx.us or Deanna Marotz, Director of Textbook Distribution, at deanna.marotz@tea.state.tx.us. Both individuals may be reached by phone at (512) 463-9601. Sincerely, Anita Givens  |
