What were teachers asked who participated in the Required Reading Survey? Not the right things.

 You know this is the first ever mandated list for reading, right? Not sure I wanted to be first in line for such nonsense. 

So what did TEA ask these few teachers who completed the survey? I'm summarizing, but...

Identify specific literary works you currently use for direct teaching. Include novels, plays, poems, short stories, folktales, and primary source documents.

(Notice that they did NOT ask for the language in the TEKS - things that are read, heard, and viewed; increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse literary texts; nothing related to digital and multimedia texts.) 

Which titles are most effective in teaching the TEKS? Which books are engaging for the different grade levels? 

Teachers were given 10,000 titles and were asked to cut it down based on text complexity (challenging but accessible), suitable for the grade level (considering developmental needs), and were good for connecting to history and science. 

Notice that they were PROVIDED with a list. Priming the pump? Leading the witness? Texts suitable for kids in Quitaque aren't quite the same things kids in Austin are gonna need. And do I need to even tell you that all kids aren't in the same place at each grade? And text complexity is a whopper that NO ONE agrees on. Because it all depends on the kid in front of you, you know, the human being? 

As for cross curricular connections, teachers would have paired the texts with the current SS and Science topics in the TEKS and NOT the ones that will be in place by 2030. So automatically, any of those text now no longer apply for complexity or suitability. 

There was nothing in there about digital and multimedia stuff. 

TEA wanted to make sure that they had a variety of folks - so they asked them about grade level and years of experience. 

5700 people responded. They don't tell you how they quantify the grade levels and diversity. Ethnic background and race were not considered. They will tell you how many texts were reported on average by each grade level of teacher: 

Grade Level	Avg. Works Reported per Teacher
Kindergarten	58
Grade 1	59
Grade 2	61
Grade 3	45
Grade 4	41
Grade 5	39
Grade 6	43
Grade 7	33
Grade 8	30
Grade 9	27
Grade 10	27
Grade 11	28
Grade 12	24

They did have someone from each grade level submit the survey. There nothing about gender, race, ethnicity, or quantifications about diversity. 

Biggest Problem: 

The survey didn't ask the right questions. Teachers didn't think they were making a coherent unit of study. They thought they were saying what they were doing that makes sense for THEM and their kids. 

So we take all this mess to make a required reading list, right? When teachers use texts, they use them in a coherent sequence - increasingly complex, progressions of themes, and texts that match the scopes and sequences (CSCOPE, TEKS Resource, or District Documents). 

The list the state has made becomes a whole 'nother thing - a collection and scope and sequence no longer aligned to the TEKS, no longer aligned to any existing progression, no longer aligned to any scope and sequence, no longer aligned to genres or student skills, no longer aligned to any kind of assessment any of us are using anywhere in the world. NOWHERE. 

Because it's nonsense. Because the teachers were asked about pieces that make sense to them because of the wholeness of their knowledge, expertise, individual learners, and communities. 

Instead, the state took all these pieces from different school bodies from around Texas and have made a Frankenstein whole list that replaces curriculum, scope and sequence, connections to accountability...gosh y'all. They've created a whole new thing that is a monster. 

Call your people and have them pull the plug before the lightening strikes. 

How many teachers were invited to complete the Required Reading Survey? Tricky one...

How many teachers were invited to complete the required reading survey? 

Technically - all of them. 

Practically - few. 

You see, TEA has these things called listservs. You have to sign up for them. Most teachers aren't signed up for them. Some supervisors are. But a lot of that info never makes it to the classroom. 

TEA maintains subscriber counts. But they don't make that public. 

So - technically, TEA didn't directly invite anyone to complete the survey. 

Most teachers may have "heard" something is coming. Others will be completely surprised and gobsmacked. And most of them won't realize we can still influence what's going to happen. 

Contact your people: Holler loudly. Holler long. Holler often. #localcontrol #teacherinvolvement #followthechild

HOW TO CONTACT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

https://sboe.texas.gov/state-board-of-education/sboe-board-members/sboe-members

 

HOW TO FIND OUT WHO REPRESENTS YOU:
https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home

 

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS:
https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/ceo/index.cfm

Who Wrote the Required Reading List for Texas? NOT Teachers.

The Required Reading List - Who wrote it? Not teachers. 5,700 Texas teachers completed the survey. Texas has 380,000 teachers.

TEA Staff took the survey results and made the list. They asked some contractors to help. (I know of a qualified person who refused because doing so is wrong. Nobody who actually knows educational theories, reading research, or the realities of schools and the nature and needs of kids would demean themselves to be on that contractor list.)

Remember - teachers really can't say anything because TEA is their boss and they essentially work for the government that made the rules.

YOU have to contact your SBOE member and your members of congress. Tell them this is a bad idea - that the legislation isn't working as intended.

HOW TO CONTACT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

https://sboe.texas.gov/.../sboe-board-members/sboe-members

HOW TO FIND OUT WHO REPRESENTS YOU:

https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS:

https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/ceo/index.cfm

Why Regular Folks in Texas Need to Holler about that Reading List

 That Texas book list? Why should regular people contact their SBOE rep and members of Congress? Because teachers work for the state. They get in trouble, y'all. They lose jobs, get written up, and are generally cautioned - for saying stuff publicly or privately. I'm not kidding. I'm not exaggerating. Texas leaders and teachers who know what this list will do will NOT be allowed to register and speak because they will be sanctioned by their boss, the State of Texas. And if they go...if they speak...if they express concerns...they will suffer consequences.

Contact your people and express concern over how the list was created, the lack of teacher involvement, the time it will take, the loss of local control, etc.

Other folks will tell you about what this means that WON'T be read. They are right.

Other folks can tell you more about the books themselves and the educational impact (WASP, limited representation, limited perspectives, limited publication windows - this stuff is OLD, limited authorial quality, limited ability to differentiate for local needs anc characteristics).

Even others will tell you to follow the money. And to consider the overarching agendas.

I'm telling you to speak up. Pick a point that resonates with you. And holler.

We have less time than I thought: Contact your representatives about the State Required Reading List

THEY ARE MEETING NEXT WEEK FOR FIRST READING into the Texas Administrative Code.  

Bottom line: A state list will never meet the needs of the local ISD or individual humans. Follow the child, not a list. Remember the child! 

State Board of Education Agenda for January 27-30

Items of ELAR Interest on the 28th

• IMRA Cycle Stuff
• And this gem: Discussion of Vocabulary Lists for Kindergarten-Grade 12 Reading Language Arts (Board agenda page I-68) This item provides an opportunity for the committee to receive an update and discuss commissioner of education recommendations for vocabulary lists to be taught in each grade level K-12 as required by House Bill (HB) 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, 2023. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.002(c-4). 
• They are discussing the Required Readings: 
• Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter A, Elementary, §110.10, Literary Works Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §110.30 Literary Works Lists, Grades 6-8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §110.70, Literary Works Lists, High School, Adopted 2026; and Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, Subchapter A, Elementary, §128.10, Literary Works Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §128.30, Literary Works Lists, Grade 6 and English Learners Language Arts (ELLA), Grades 7 and 8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §128.70, Literary Works Lists, High School, Adopted 2026 (First Reading and Filing Authorization) (Board agenda page I-69) This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed new 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter A, Elementary, §110.10, Literary Works Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §110.30, Literary Works Lists, Grades 6-8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §110.70, Literary Works Lists, High School, Adopted 2026; and proposed new 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, Subchapter A, Elementary, §128.10, Literary Works Lists, Kindergarten-Grade 5, Adopted 2026; Subchapter B, Middle School, §128.30, Literary Works Lists, Grade 6 and English Learners Language Arts (ELLA), Grades 7 and 8, Adopted 2026; and Subchapter C, High School, §128.70, Literary Works Lists, High School, Adopted 2026. The proposed new sections would add lists of literary works to be taught in each grade level as required by House Bill (HB) 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.002(c-4), as added by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.
• They are discussing Social Studies - and with the current knowledge building philosophy and cross curricular connections for assessment - what they approve will impact us and what we are asked to read. 
• Thursday - They'll discuss the ELPS. 
• And more stuff on IMRA - prolly should look closer at some of the publishers they mention for contracts. 
• For the Panhandle Area - there's an item on Boys Ranch. 
• Charter Schools are on the agenda. So are things on personnel and certification requirements. And more. 

But ya'll: THE LIST. 

ACTION: When you talk to your folks - tell them that you want teacher committees to review that list. The survey was NOT enough for teacher participation

ACTION:  And that you want a feasibility study done on how long it would take kids to read that required stuff. Use the Hasbrook and Tindall 2017 fluency norms. Might even help to say how long it takes for the audio books. 

ACTION: And certainly address that the State of Texas is NOT what we'd call a quality author for reading materials. Raise concerns about the overfocus on reading to the exclusion of other standards like writing. 

ACTION: And then call your legislators and let them know that while they probably meant well for this HB mess, the reality of implementation isn't what they intended. 

ACTION: You can sign up to testify as well. Show up if you can. There will be a time later when they will take testimony specifically on this issue. But every time and all the time is best. 

A state list will never meet the needs of the local ISD. Follow the child, not a list. 

Additional Information: 

1. Draft Language for the list

2. PPT from TEA to give background for the board

3. How to contact your people: SBOE representative and legislative leaders in Texas 

TEA Presentation on January 9th about Required Readings

TEA gave this presentation to the SBOE so they'd have the background they needed to preview the draft language. 

Staff worked diligently to do what they were asked to do by the legislature. They tried to do a good job. 

Be aware of WHAT they did and HOW they supported the work. 

https://tea.texas.gov/academics/instructional-materials/house-bill-1605/sboe-tea-proposed-literary-works-list-pre-read-to-support-review.pdf 

Alert: Draft Language for Required Reading in High School: English I -4

My adolescent hell: A Sic 'em. 

Required Readings in English I

1. Animal Farm George Orwell
1. ├-- Federalist Papers No. 10 James Madison
2. ├-- Federalist Papers No. 51 James Madison
3. ├-- I, Pencil Leonard E. Read
4. ├-- Ozymandias Percy Bysshe Shelley
5. └── The Clever Teens' Guide to the Russian Revolution Felix Rhodes
2. Antigone Sophocles (2005th Publishing Edition)
1. ├-- Thanatopsis William Cullen Bryant
2. └── The Monkey's Paw (excerpt from The Monkey's Paw and Other Stories) W. W. Jacobs
3. Great Expectations Charles Dickens
1.  ├-- Love Is Not All (excerpt from Fatal Interview) Edna St. Vincent Millay
2. └── A Brief History of Life in Victorian Britain (Chapter 1 "Symbol of an Age", Chapter 2 "The Masses". and Chapter 6 "Religion") Michael Paterson
4. The Odyssey Homer (translated by Robert Fagles)
1. ├-- David and Goliath (Book of 1 Samuel, Chapter 17) Hebrew Bible / Old Testament (trans. NIRV)
2. └── Odysseus W. S. Merwin
5. Night Elie Wiesel
1. ├-- Lamentations 3 (Book of Lamentations, Chapter 3) Hebrew Bible / Old Testament (trans. JPS Tanakh 1917)
2. ├-- The Perils of Indifference (excerpt from White House Official Transcript of Remarks at Millennium Evening) Elie Wiesel
3. └── The Survivor Primo Levi

Required Readings in English II

1. Beowulf Unknown Poet (translated by Burton Raffel)
1. ├-- The Charge of the Light Brigade Alfred Lord Tennyson
2. └── Twelve Angry Men Reginald Rose
2. Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury
1. ├-- Dear Mr. McCarthy, I Am Very Real (excerpt, Section 1 from Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage) Kurt Vonnegut
2. ├-- What is Capitalism? (excerpt, Section 1 from Capitalism, The Unknown Ideal) Ayn Rand
3. ├-- Flattering Unction (excerpt, Chapter 1 from The Vision of the Anointed) Thomas Sowell
4. └── The Veldt (excerpt from The Illustrated Man) Ray Bradbury
3. Frankenstein Mary Shelley
1. ├-- Prometheus Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
2. ├-- The Tower of Babel (Book of Genesis, Chapter 11 Verses 1-9) Hebrew Bible / Old Testament (trans. NIRV)
3. └── Why Frankenstein Matters Audrey Shafer
4.  A Separate Peace John Knowles
1. ├-- The Necklace Guy de Maupassant (translated by Johnathan Sturges)
2. ├-- The Scarlet Ibis James Hurst
3. └── The Soldier Rupert Brooke
5. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar William Shakespeare
1. ├-- Eulogy for President Reagan Margaret Thatcher
2. ├-- Pericles’ Funeral Oration (excerpt of Book 2 from Chapters 34 - 46 of History of the Peloponnesian War) Thucydides (edited by M.I. Finley and translated by Rex Warner)
3. └── The Raven Edgar Allen Poe

Required Readings in English III

1. The Alchemist Paulo Coelho
1. ├-- To Build a Fire (excerpt from To Build a Fire and Other Stories) Jack London
2. -- We Choose to Go to the Moon John F. Kennedy
3. └── Ithaka C.P. Cavafy
2. Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck
1. ├-- To Everything There is a Season (Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3) Hebrew Bible / Old Testament (trans. KJV)
2. ├-- First Inaugural Address Franklin Delano Roosevelt
3. ├-- I’d Rather Not Be on Relief Lester Hunter
4. ├--The Chrysanthemums (excerpt from the Chrysanthemums and Other Stories) John Steinbeck
5. └── To a Mouse Robert Burns
3. The Crucible Arthur Miller
1. ├-- Federalist Paper No. 78 Alexander Hamilton
2. ├-- Lyceum Address Abraham Lincoln
3. ├--Democracy in America (Chapter XVII: Principal Causes Maintaining the Democratic Republic – Part IV – First & Second Section) Alexis de Tocqueville
4. └── Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthorne
4. The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
1. ├-- Annual Message (Four Freedoms) to Congress Franklin Delano Roosevelt
2. ├-- Labor Unions in A Free Market Ernest van den Haag
3. ├--Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s – A Classic Chronicle of Scandal, Prosperity, and the Great Depression (Chapter I “Prelude: May, 1919,” Chapter VII “Coolidge Prosperity,” and Chapter XII “The Big Bull Market”) Frederick Lewis Allen
4. └── We Wear the Mask Paul Lawrence Dunbar
5. The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne
1. ├-- If Rudyard Kipling
2. └── The Minister’s Black Veil Nathaniel Hawthorne

Required Readings in English IV

1. Hamlet William Shakespeare
1. ├-- Hamlet and His Problems (excerpt from The Sacred Wood: Essays on Poetry and Criticism) T. S. Elio
2. ├-- The Death of Ivan Ilych Leo Tolstoy (translated by Robert Nisbet Bain)
3. └── The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock T. S. Eliot
2. Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
1. ├-- “Hope” is the thing with feathers Emily Dickinson
2. ├-- The Parson’s Daughter of Oxney Colne Anthony Trollope
3. └── When I Was One-and-Twenty A. E. Housman
3. The Divine Comedy Dante Alighieri
1. ├-- The Book of Job (Book of Job, Chapters 1-7, 11, 14, 19, 28, 38- 42) Hebrew Bible / Old Testament (trans. NIRV)
2.  ├-- I’ve Been to the Mountaintop Martin Luther King, Jr.
3. └── The Middle Ages: A Very Short Introduction (Chapter 1 “The 'Middle' Ages?,” Chapter 2 “People and Their Lifestyles,” Chapter 3 “The Big Idea: Christian Salvation,” and Chapter 4 “Kingship, Lordship, and Government”) Miri Rubi
4. Up From Slavery Booker T. Washington
1. ├-- Everyday Use Alice Walker
2. ├--Frederick Douglass Robert Hayden
3. ├-- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Chapter 1) Frederick Douglass
4. └── A Psalm of Life Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
5. Walden Henry David Thoreau
1. ├-- Autobiography (Part One) Benjamin Franklin
2. └── The Open Boat Stephen Crane