Nine Seats on the Texas State Board of Education Are on the Ballot. Here Is What Is at Stake.
The board sets what Texas children learn and approves instructional materials. It just added Bible stories to a required reading list and rewrote social studies.
Texans in nine of the 15 State Board of Education districts will choose a board member this fall, and the outcome will shape what children learn in public schools for years, The Texas Tribune reported in a voter guide published Friday.
What the board does
The board sets the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the standards for what students should learn in each grade, and approves instructional materials. It works with the education commissioner and the Texas Education Agency on policy and approves new charter schools.
Eight seats are up for regular four-year terms. A ninth, District 4 in Harris County, is on the ballot because former member Staci Childs stepped down to run for the Texas House; the winner will serve until 2028.
What is at stake
This year the board passed sweeping changes to social studies for kindergarten through high school and approved a required reading list that includes Bible stories such as Adam and Eve, the Beatitudes and the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Both changes begin taking effect in the 2030-31 school year. The board is also early in revising math standards.
Critics say the changes downplay racial, cultural and religious diversity. Supporters say they will make sure students learn about Texas' and America's exceptionalism.
The balance of power
Republicans hold seven of the nine seats on the ballot, including District 4, where Gov. Greg Abbott made a temporary appointment, and Democrats hold two. Only four incumbents are running again. Conservative political action committees are spending to keep three open Republican seats: District 2 along the coast, District 6 in the Houston area and District 9 in North and East Texas.
Several Democratic candidates promise to undo the board's recent moves. District 7 Democrat Tiffany Perkinz pledges a "day one" motion to amend the new standards. District 8 incumbent Audrey Young, a Republican, says she wants to "keep conservative Texas values at the heart of Texas public education."
Why it matters
These are low-profile races with high stakes. The board decides what children read and learn. Some candidates also want a say in when a struggling district faces a state takeover. Our report on STAAR rescoring shows how much rides on those scores.
Parents who want Scripture and America's founding taught with respect should pay attention to these races, and so should parents who disagree. Check whether your district is on the ballot before you vote, and see what else is on every Texas ballot.
Hero photo: LoneStarMike / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
