NOTE: TPPF Education Research Director Chris Patterson will testify before the State Board of Education on Thursday, November 8, 2001. An advance copy of her testimony is available.

AUSTIN – Textbook publishers should be congratulated for their efforts to improve middle school science texts by working with the public to correct errors in fact, omission of information, and reflections of bias in the environmental science content, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

In early September, TPPF recommended to the State Board of Education that it delay adoption of middle school science textbooks because of numerous errors. Since that time the publishers have worked with TPPF in correcting those problems.

“Over the past two months, all four of the middle school publishers have worked diligently in responding to public concerns, and have made significant changes in the environmental science instruction materials,” said Chris Patterson, TPPF Director of Education Research. She will testify before the SBOE on Thursday, withdrawing TPPF’s earlier request that adoption of the middle school science texts be delayed.

“We requested that the publishers correct errors and add content. We wanted to see a balanced presentation of legitimate debate in the scientific community, without deleting content,” Patterson noted.

Textbook publishers praised TPPF’s work:

      “I want to extend my thanks for [TPPF’s] input into this year’s science textbook adoption process… The review done by your organization has been a valuable contribution to the overall process of ensuring the best possible science learning materials for our schools.”

      • John Lawyer, Sr. Vice President, Holt, Rinehart & Winston Publishers

“We particularly want to thank the Texas Public Policy Foundation for their thorough work in reviewing our program…. We have responded to all of TPPF’s comments, including those classified as inaccuracies, bias, or omissions.”

      • Julia Fellows Osborne, Editorial Director, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education Secondary Group

“The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s review of middle school science textbooks was comprehensive and fair. Texas Public Policy Foundation was willing to work with all publishers on the textbook review process to improve the books.”

      • Glencoe, McGraw-Hill

“We appreciated having our content reviewed time and again. It made our textbook series better.”

    • Dr. Ronald E. Jones, President, RonJon Publishing, Inc.