Commission members raise CTE materials concerns; say industry standards may require different adoption approach

During the March 13, 2025 meeting of the Tennessee Textbook Commission commissioners discussed how career and technical education (CTE) materials differ from traditional textbook adoptions and flagged potential process changes for future cycles.

A commission member said CTE courses are “tied to industry standards” and that materials for those programs may not fit the commission’s typical adoption rubric because they are often specialized or come in separate volumes for different course levels. The member urged colleagues to anticipate a different review approach for CTE adoptions and noted that fewer publishers may apply for certain specialized CTE materials.

The commission’s assistant commissioner of academics, Christy Wall, and staff discussed that heavily vetted CTE materials, especially in fields such as health sciences, may require more extensive review and that districts and CTE directors will be involved in identifying appropriate materials. The assistant commissioner noted the commission expects more submissions in some CTE areas as those programs expand into middle and high schools.

Members emphasized that CTE content changes rapidly and that adoption procedures should account for industry standards and multiple-level materials. The commission did not adopt any formal changes to the policy at this meeting; the remarks were recorded as discussion and direction to staff to consider CTE-specific issues during future adoption cycles.

The chair closed the meeting after noting there were no further items; staff were assigned follow-up tasks to incorporate the newly adopted policies into adoption guidance and to prepare for upcoming scheduled meetings.