SECTION 66.1019. Instructional Materials Review Panels: Training, Duties, and Conduct

(a) Instructional materials review panel members shall participate in training that includes at least the following:

(1) the responsibilities of a review panel member;

(2) clear and consistent guidelines for determining Texas essential knowledge and skills (TEKS) coverage within the instructional materials;

(3) the criteria the materials must meet;

(4) identifying factual errors; and

(5) the evaluation instruments to be used for the review.

(b) The duties of an instructional materials review panel are to:

(1) evaluate all instructional materials submitted for consideration in each subject assigned to the panel to determine if essential knowledge and skills are covered as was specified in the public notice;

(2) evaluate the educational technology design of the instructional materials;

(3) evaluate the extent to which the instructional material is in alignment with current research in the subject for which the material is intended to be used;

(4) determine whether the material includes appropriate training for teachers; and

(5) submit to the commissioner a report to include:

(A) the percentage of required TEKS that each submission assigned to be evaluated by the review panel covers;

(B) a score, based on rubrics to be provided by the commissioner, for the qualities described in paragraphs (1)-(4) of this subsection;

(C) a list of all factual errors discovered in the instructional materials assigned to be evaluated by the review panel; and

(D) as appropriate to a subject area and/or grade level, verification that the panel did not find content in the materials that clearly conflicts with the stated purpose of the Texas Education Code, §28.002(h).

(c) Instructional materials review panel members shall not accept meals, entertainment, gifts, or gratuities in any form from publishers, authors, hardware or software providers, or depositories; agents for publishers, authors, hardware or software providers, or depositories; any person who holds any official position with publishers, authors, hardware or software providers, depositories, or agents; or any person or organization interested in influencing the selection of instructional materials.

(d) Instructional materials review panel members shall observe a no-contact period that shall begin with the initial communication regarding possible appointment to a review panel and end when the final report showing the findings of the review panels is posted on the Texas Education Agency website. During this period, review panel members shall not have direct or indirect communication with any person having an interest in the adoption process regarding content of instructional materials under evaluation by the panel.

Source Note: The provisions of this §66.1019 adopted to be effective November 21, 2010, 35 TexReg 10220; amended to be effective July 23, 2012, 37 TexReg 5413; amended to be effective May 8, 2017, 42 TexReg 2405