Lawmakers defend Texas curriculum revamping
AUSTIN—The powerful architects of Texas’ new high school curriculum overhaul made a rare joint appearance at the State Board of Education Wednesday night, imploring its members not to undermine the much-ballyhooed law by imposing requirements that most students take algebra II.
State Sen. Dan Patrick, a Houston Republican who chairs the Senate Education Committee, made the unscheduled visit with state Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, head of the House Public Education Committee. The pair co-sponsored a sweeping law approved unanimously by the Legislature in May that sought to give more flexibility to students who want to focus on vocational training rather than simply college prep courses in high school.
They say a key component of that flexibility is not compelling every youngster to take algebra II.
“We specifically left it out,” said Aycock, R-Killeen. He said that during legislative debate, “It became the general opinion of those voting that there were children in ... standard algebra II that were dropping out of school rather than taking it.”
Patrick told the board: “This may be the most important vote you ever cast” for the state’s 5 million-plus public school students
“The idea that we think, as a board or a Legislature, that every one of those 5 million students must have algebra II to live the American dream, I think it’s fool’s gold,” he said.
The law allows high school students to earn a “foundation” diploma without taking upperlevel math or science courses, including algebra II, while also reducing the number of standardized tests students must pass to graduate from 15 to five.
Critics claim the measure waters down academic curriculum.
It’s up to the 15-member State Board of Education to implement the law, and its members spent hours Wednesday listening to testimony from dozens of teachers and school administrators, industry leaders and education experts. While many defended the law, others warned that Texas was “dumbing down” academic standards that were already too lenient.
Opponents argued that algebra II is a key indicator of success in college and beyond, and that it should be required.
The board votes Thursday and Friday on implementing the law, and it has wide latitude to modify how requirements are applied. Beside algebra II, it is also mulling a few other issues, such as whether speech courses should be required electives.
As passed, the curriculum changes allow students to earn “distinguished” degrees by completing top math and science courses, and thus qualify for automatic admission to any public university in Texas. Those who don’t earn distinguished degrees don’t qualify for automatic admission.
Supporters of the law, including many industry and business organizations, say Texas offers plenty of high-paying jobs that don’t require going to college or taking algebra II. Patrick said the law would help Texans learn to properly value blue-collar workers again.
“It’s not about what one particular industry that wants or doesn’t want,” he said. “It’s about the future of a child and the future of our state.”