Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Curriculum Oer topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Conroe ISD board adopts Bluebonnet Open Education Resource transition plan after questions on religious excerpts
Summary
The Conroe ISD Board of Trustees approved a district plan to transition to the Bluebonnet open education resource curriculum for elementary reading, voting to adopt the plan after trustees discussed potential classroom references to religious texts and the district's approach to parent exemptions.
The Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to adopt a Bluebonnet Open Education Resource (OER) transition plan for elementary reading curriculum after trustees asked for clarification about lessons that reference religious texts.
Trustees debated whether any changes to the Bluebonnet lessons would cause material to lose State Board of Education approval and whether a district-level procedure for alternate lessons would be sufficient. A district representative who spoke on behalf of Dr. Upshaw told the board that the district was not recommending modifying the Bluebonnet curriculum wholesale and that any alternate lessons would be created only for students whose parents requested exemptions.
The board heard that some Bluebonnet lessons include historical references that draw on Old- and New-Testament stories for context. Trustees were told those references are used to explain history and are not proselytizing. For lessons that are direct religious stories or parables, the plan calls for alternate texts to be provided to students whose parents request exemptions.
Trustee Nelson pressed the staff on whether changing an approved OER text would remove the material from the State Board of Education’s approved list. The district advised that TEA allows limited local adaptations but cautioned that material that is amended or substantially modified could lose SBE-listed status and would need state review before being described as state-approved instructional material.
Trustee feedback and district answers shaped the final motion. Trustee Stout noted that a TEA contact had called Conroe's plan “exemplary” and said the agency intended to use the plan as an example for other districts.
The board adopted the transition plan after discussion. During the roll call for that item trustees recorded a hand vote and the chair announced, “K. That’s 3. All those opposed? 2. The motion carries.”
