Texas Officials Celebrate Approval of Bluebonnet Curriculum for K-5 Students
Now approved by the State Board of Education, the materials will be available for teachers and students in the 2025-2026 school year.
By Sydnie Henry | November 22, 2024 – The State Board of Education has approved the Texas Education Agency’s Bluebonnet Learning curriculum for K-5 reading and math.
The Texas Education Agency describes the new instructional materials as Open Education Resources, which means they are owned by the state, free to everyone, and can be modified over time.
School districts can choose whether or not to use Bluebonnet Learning, and districts that decide to use the materials will receive an incentive of $60 per student.
Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the passage, stating, “The passage of Bluebonnet Learning is a critical step forward to bring students back to the basics of education and provide the best education in the nation.”
These transformative educational materials are voluntary and free for schools and teachers to use. And with parents also able to access these materials online, we will ensure young Texans have access to high-quality, grade-level appropriate curricula that will provide the necessary fundamentals in math, reading, science, and other core subjects and boost student outcomes across Texas. I thank the Texas Education Agency for working tirelessly to bolster students’ educational foundation and equip them with the knowledge they need to lead bright, successful lives in Texas.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also signaled his support for the materials on social media.
“Improving public education has been one of my top goals since I arrived in the Texas Senate,” wrote Patrick. “In districts where high-quality curriculum has already been implemented, results have been fantastic, showcasing strong improvements in student outcomes. Today’s @txsboe vote for high-quality curriculum will ensure all students are receiving appropriate grade-level instruction and is an important step to boosting student outcomes statewide.”
While some have raised concerns about the incorporation of materials such as biblical stories about the Golden Rule and Good Samaritan in the curriculum, this has given cause for others to celebrate.
Pastor Richard Vega, an advocate for ensuring children’s educational materials are age-appropriate, wrote, “The Bluebonnet curriculum represents an opportunity to revitalize public education, honor our nation’s heritage, and support both students and teachers.”
The SBOE members initially approved the curriculum on Wednesday in a preliminary vote of 8-7. Today’s vote remained the same, with Republican members Evelyn Brooks, Patricia Hardy, and Pam Little joining the four Democrats in voting against the materials.
The curriculum will be available to teachers and students in August 2025.
This article originally appeared here.
