New Textbook Rules Ease Burden on Texas Taxpayers

For the first time ever in Texas, when English teachers choose their new literature textbooks this year, they can select a quality literature program that meets all the state standards—AND have money left over for much-needed classroom technology, saving local taxpayers and cash-strapped school districts thousands of dollars.

Of the four literature programs approved on November 20th by the State Board of Education, three were bid at the maximum prices set by the SBOE. Priced at the maximum, these three programs prevent local schools from taking advantage of the new rules on textbook credits. Only one board-approved program, EMC’s Mirrors & Windows: Connecting with Literature, was bid at reduced prices—20% to 30% below the maximums. Only the EMC program allows local districts to earn textbook credits that can be used to buy additional state-approved textbooks or technology equipment, such as computers, white boards, projectors, and e-book readers.

In past years, the fact that one publisher bid its books significantly below the maximums would not have mattered to the local districts. The state has always paid for approved textbooks and bought a book for every student—there was little or no incentive for schools to choose a less expensive book. But it appears that the traditional way of buying textbooks in Texas is about to change.

In an attempt to deal with the rapidly rising costs of textbooks, the state legislature has passed several bills over the past two sessions that loosen the SBOE’s rules for textbook adoptions. These new rules promote the creation of open-source textbooks and the use of electronic textbooks, which the legislators believe will be less expensive than the traditional paper-and-ink books. Combined with the credit program, these new rules create incentives for the local schools to consider price when choosing their books.

The SBOE has budgeted $195 million to buy approximately 2.6 million literature textbooks for students in grades 6 to 12, with maximum prices ranging from $72.74 for a middle school book, to $77.66 for an upper-level high school book. Three major secondary publishers—McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and Holt McDougal—all bid their books at the maximum prices, so local districts that purchase these publishers’ programs will not earn any textbook credits to use on other resources. In contrast, EMC bid its textbooks at $60.00 for all seven grades. If the districts decide to go with the EMC program, they will earn credits enabling them to buy additional state-approved textbooks for any subject area, or the districts can use their credits to buy technological equipment.

How much equipment can they buy? Here’s how the credit program works. For each EMC textbook purchased, the local district would receive a credit equal to half the difference between the maximum price and the $60.00 EMC price. On one grade 12 book, for example, the district would earn $8.83. In a districtwide adoption, Austin ISD, with over 40,000 students in grades 6 to 12, would earn in the neighborhood of $300,000—$300,000 that the district could spend as it chooses on technology for its classrooms.

The State Board of Education and the Texas Education Agency have just begun the process of writing, approving, and publicizing the new rules, with a focus on creating more electronic educational materials as options for the local districts. It would seem that the age-old process of the state supplying one printed textbook for every Texas student may be coming to an end. At least one textbook publisher—EMC Publishing—is ready to help Texas move into the new age of textbook delivery.