| Information Only |
January 26, 2000
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:
During the recent textbook review, the State Board of Education directed publishers of all conforming first grade reading programs to include text that is on an average 80% decodable based on the cumulative sequence of taught letter-sound correspondences. This means that each conforming reading program contains a variety of reading selections to be used for varying purposes. The purpose of one type of reading selections, decodable text, is to provide opportunities for students to practice applying the letter-sound correspondence most recently taught. Additionally, the reading selection provides practice in the previously taught letter-sound correspondences so that students experience continuous review. The conforming reading programs vary in the number of passages provided, but each provides reading selections that have an average of 80% decodability. The summary of the average of percentage of decodability is attached.
Though not required by the State Board of Education, the report includes a column that summarizes the potential for accuracy for each conforming first grade reading program. The potential for accuracy is just what it says. This is the potential for students to read accurately the first time that they read the passage. The potential for accuracy is based on the total percentage of words that students can identify (read accurately) because they have been taught the letter-sound correspondences or have been taught the words as sight words. Sight words are words for which the students do not yet have a letter-sound correspondence strategy to identify or for which there are no common letter-sound correspondences.
For additional information, contact the reading unit of the Division of Curriculum and Professional Development at the Texas Education Agency at (512) 463-9581.
For more information on the reading textbook adoption, contact the staff at your regional education service center or the staff of the Division of Textbook Administration at the Texas Education Agency at (512) 463-9601.
Sincerely yours,
Robert H. Leos
Senior Director
Textbook Administration
For further information on this topic, contact Textbook Administration at at (512) 463-9601.