The State Board of Education (SBOE) sets policies and standards for Texas public schools, and fifteen SBOE members are elected from single-member districts. These districts are redrawn every ten years according to the Census data. Members are elected by Texans to four year terms. The first time members meet after getting elected to redrawn districts, seven randomly selected members have their current terms shortened to two years. Elections are held in even-numbered years. The governor chooses a chair from the board’s members, and the chair of the board creates the SBOE meeting agendas. The current chair of the board is Keven Ellis of District 9 (Lufkin, TX). The SBOE has four standing committees (Committee of the Full Board, Committee on Instruction, Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund, and the Committee on School Initiatives). Each committee may make recommendations for board agenda items that fall under its oversight, and the chair of the board may select agenda items for review by the full board. Board meetings are open to the public. More information on the SBOE is available here. In order to make Asian American Studies course part of the Texas K-12 curriculum, we are hoping to get the course approved by the SBOE.
