Thomas Ratliff        

P.O. Box 232        State Board of Education        tel:  (903) 717-1190

Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456        Vice-Chairman        www.thomasratliff.com

September 23, 2014

MEMORANDUM

TO:        Members of the SBOE

FROM:        Thomas Ratliff

SUBJECT:        Self-Inflicted Wounds

It seems like every meeting of the State Board of Education features one or more of us lamenting about things the legislature has either done to us or taken away from us.  Beginning in 1995 and continuing through this last legislative session, the legislature has nibbled away at the jurisdiction of the SBOE.  I do not believe I can stay silent any longer.  It is time for some tough love.

The legislature takes authority from us because we do things like we did last week.

We spent HOURS listening to public testimony and debating amendments to a non-binding, unenforceable, politically motivated resolution.  In fact, we spent more time on this issue than any other issue before us last week, including the adoption of Social Studies, Math and Fine Arts instructional materials, adopting a payout rate from the $30 billion Permanent School Fund to pay for those materials, and the GPA requirements for teacher certification programs.  I don’t know about you, but I would think those issues would justify more time and deliberation than a non-binding resolution.

If we ever hope to regain some of our previous jurisdiction, we need to put politics aside and put our focus back on real issues facing the classroom.  We have one more formal meeting in November before the beginning of the 2015 legislative session.  At this meeting, we will make recommendations to the legislature for items we would like them to consider.  I can only hope we will keep our eye on the ball and not let distractions or political pandering rule the day…..again.

On the flip side, I believe our deliberations and conduct during the rule-making for implementing House Bill 5 were some of the best moments in the history of the SBOE.  We grappled with complex and meaningful policy decisions that will affect millions of kids for decades to come.  While it wasn’t perfect from anyone’s perspective, it was a very, very good process and end result.  

I hope the legislature, when considering legislation next year will remember our efforts on HB 5 and consider trusting us to do the right thing again.