By Madeline Steubing
(Madline Steubing of Devine recently testified before the Texas Legislature and State Board of Education against Bluebonnet Learning. Steubing is a veteran teacher with 10 years of experience at the high school level and mother of five).
Bluebonnet Learning and School Choice
Beware of Bluebonnet Learning and School Choice, which are two Trojan horses that are set to undermine our children’s education and our rights as parents and teachers. During the last legislative session, Texas passed HB1605 and the SBOE (State Board of Education) approved the adoption of Bluebonnet Learning, a ‘free’ state created curriculum (I will refer to as BB).
“Bluebonnet Learning, formerly Texas Amplify, is supposed to be a return to classical education. However, closer inspection reveals significant issues with not only the digital nature but also the content and approach raise red flags with educators and parents. This curriculum is not age-appropriate content and Amplify was not successful at the pilot schools that used it. The TEA will incentivize schools to adopt this curriculum through financial rewards rather than prioritizing high-quality, evidence-based educational resources.” Families Engaged for Effective Education (https://www.familiesengaged.org/). This group has been speaking of the corruption at the state level for decades.
TEA Commissioner, Mike Morath testified that BB is 70% Amplify, which is a digital education business developed in the UK, purchased by News Corp to reshape New York Education. In 2015, the failed Amplify system was sold to Laurene P. Jobs, widow of Steve Jobs (Apple Inc). TEA used this product and Great Minds (the founder of Common Core and Eureka Math) to develop BB, costing taxpayers $2.44 Billion.
According to the TEA website, BB is adapted to the STAAR online format to make an easier transition when students are tested. However, out of 200 districts STAAR scores declined and continued to decline each year of the program. Our children deserve proven, effective education—not recycled failures. The same representatives who are pushing school choice are also responsible for passing Bluebonnet Learning in HB 1605. Brad Buckely authored HB 1605 and HB3.
I served on a review committee for BB and testified against the bill. Teachers who were paid to help modify Amplify to BB, were upset to see their changes were not implemented. There are 5th grade concepts in 1st and 2nd grade and the history doesn’t follow proper sequence. The unproven Amplify phonics method teaches letter sounds before letter names. There are only 6-7 grade level reading books a year as compared to 100s in grades K-2. Francine Erickson, a teacher who testified against BB said, “Children in the state of Texas will be put in visual word poverty, leaving their most formative school years and statistically important years stagnant.” An experienced teacher said, “Bluebonnet is for a robot who has never taught children. I will not go back into the general classroom if that is what is to be taught. It’s truly insulting to those of us who actually TEACH!”
Bluebonnet was one of the few curriculums that met the new review requirements under HB1605, incentivizing an extra $60 per child in funding. Previously approved materials can still be selected but will not qualify for the funding until they go through the review process. This is education driven by money, not students’ needs! Houghton Mifflin or Saxon are successful alternatives.
Both School Choice and BB align to UNESCOs (United Nations for Education, Sciences and Culture) Sustainability Goal #4, to privatize and control the masses through education. Will districts do their research and ask why big tech wants a seat in our child’s classroom? The Coalition for Education Excellence (CEE) has several members involved, to name a few: Commit Partnership (Bill Gates Foundation), The Greater Houston Partnership, Texas 2036 (Tom Luce & Margaret Spellings), The Texas Public Policy Foundation TPPF (James Leininger; Board Member-Tim Dunn), and Amplify (Laurene Powell Jobs).
Districts will soon be adopting next year’s curriculum. State mandates and regulations have only restricted the Districts and Teachers abilities in the classroom, it is time we stood against the TEA. Be vigilant and advocate for our children at the local and state level. We will not be silent, speak to your teacher, admin and board members. Attend the school board meetings to voice your concerns. Our kids deserve better, school board member please vote this down!
~ Madeline Steubing
*Sadly this information was presented to the Texas Legislator and SBOE, they chose to vote for their funders instead of our children.