The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released its updated Bluebonnet Learning instructional materials this week, developed as part of the Texas Open Education Resources (OER) initiative that was launched in May. The new resources, designed in response to House Bill 1605 that passed the state legislature in 2023, is intended to improve academic outcomes across the state while providing teachers with classroom support.
According to TEA, academic proficiency in Texas has steadily declined since 2013, with almost 80% of eighth graders reading below grade level. The problem was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and has resulted in growing concerns over the quality of education in the state.
To address the challenges, the state legislature directed TEA to develop what the agency calls Bluebonnet Learning materials. The materials are focused on specific areas to enhance what TEA considers to be foundational academic skills in key subjects particularly reading, language arts, and mathematics.
The materials are expected to support student success by improving reading and language arts proficiency, while also developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills in mathematics, which TEA says will set a foundation for future academic achievement.
TEA said its instructional materials have passed through extensive public review as required by the new law, including feedback from teachers, parents, and school districts, and were also scrutinized by an expert advisory board.
In its news announcement, TEA emphasized the importance of incorporating cognitive science principles into the development process, and ensured the materials are high-quality and will be effective for diverse student needs. The new resources are designed to integrate classical literature and cross-curricular knowledge, which the agency says will promote well-rounded academic success.
Some national organizations outside Texas have raised objections to a portion of the new materials that reference classical literature because the literature includes the Bible. Overall, those references are a small fraction of the materials, and numerous other literature is also referenced.
Senator Creighton, the Senate author of HB 1605, said in an interview that the references are intended to provide students with a broad historical perspective so they can understand references to scripture in other readings, such as Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail.
Bluebonnet Learning is awaiting approval from the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE), which will vote on whether to approve the materials in November. If approved, the materials will be made available to all Texas schools, though their use remains optional. Teachers and schools can also tailor the new resources to fit specific classroom needs, according to TEA.
The Bluebonnet materials will also be accessible online for parents and guardians to view and use. TEA has said the free educational resources will help bridge a gap in resource availability between wealthier and less-resourced areas of Texas.
