Texas board to consider American Indian, Native and Asian American studies course in April after public push

The Texas State Board of Education was told Friday that the Texas Education Agency has received an application to renew and advance an American Indian and Native Studies innovative high‑school course and will present that application to the committee for consideration at the board's April meeting, agency staff said after a lengthy public comment session.

Advocates and educators told the board during public testimony that immediate renewal and prompt TEKS consideration are needed so teachers and districts that have piloted the course can plan for the next school year and to ensure students see themselves reflected in curriculum. "I'm here today to urge board members to get curious about what is missing from our curriculum and to hear the discussion to adopt the American Indian native studies and Asian American studies course this year," said Alexia Lechler, an educator and cofounder of the nonprofit Start Empowerment.

Testimony and why it matters

Supporters — including former teachers, parents, university faculty and students who participated in pilot classes — told the board the course improves attendance and academic outcomes and helps students understand the history of indigenous peoples. "Research shows that taking an ethnic studies course in high school can lead to better GPA, higher attendance than those who did not take an ethnic studies course," said Alexia Lechler. Former teacher and Austin parent Caitlin Macklin said the course gave teachers a framework to answer students' questions about America's original peoples and called for renewal and TEKS adoption "as soon as possible."

Dr. Gail Warmbrut, who identified herself as Osage and said she has served as a TEA instructional‑materials reviewer, described personal family history she said is often absent from classroom materials: "As a child, my Osage grandmother was removed from her home and taken to an Indian boarding school, where many children were abused and where our children were covertly buried," she said. Several speakers said the course is the product of years of work and that delaying renewal harms teachers and districts that have already adopted the innovative course. "Please move forward on this process that has been in development since 02/2018," said Christelle Erickson Collins, who testified that she volunteered and guest‑taught in Texas public schools.

Tightly held concerns and requests

Speakers asked the board to renew the course's innovative status so it could be considered for full TEKS adoption in time for districts setting calendars for the next school year. Brianna Cohen, a graduate student in Native American and Indigenous studies, told members the course "respects our diverse cultural history" and said teachers and students in pilot programs have reported positive engagement.

Not all public remarks were measured requests: Max Olchi Cortez, who said he now works for Rep. Ayesha Davis, pressed the board with sharper criticism: "Chairman Kinsey, people are tired of you not supporting Texas students," he said, part of a longer public comment decrying delay.

Agency response and next steps

Board chair Aaron Kinsey and agency staff did not act on the course during the meeting; rather TEA staff member Monica told the board the application has been received and will be presented to the committee along with other courses at the April meeting. "We have received that application and it, would be presented to the committee along with the other courses that have been received at the April meeting," Monica said. When members asked whether that timeline would prevent schools from offering the course next fall, Monica said the course could still be available next school year if processed on the board's normal schedule.

What the board did

No formal vote or action to approve the course occurred at the Jan. 31 session. Staff said they will include the application in the next course review batch to be presented to the Committee on Instruction and to the full board as part of the April agenda.

Why advocates said urgency is needed

Witnesses told the board renewed innovative status and timely TEKS consideration affect schools' ability to schedule and publicize class offerings and to allow teachers time for professional development. Multiple speakers said pilot students in districts that have offered the content showed improved attendance and engagement; supporters cited research and local classroom experience as the basis for urging prompt action.

What happens next

TEA staff will present the course and other received innovative‑course applications to the committee in April. If the board approves renewal or TEKS adoption at future meetings, districts may move to offer the course more broadly. Supporters asked the board to treat the application quickly to avoid disrupting districts that already teach the material.