Controversial CSCOPE public school curriculum will get review

Supporters and critics of the Texas public school curriculum CSCOPE abound. Detractors, including conservative media pundit Glenn Beck, have accused it of promoting communism, anti-American sentiment and Islam. Other critics say CSCOPE is at best overly prescriptive with questionable lesson content and classroom pace.

Proponents insist CSCOPE is a cost-effective means of ensuring that TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) requirements mandated by the State Board of Education are covered. Curriculum specialists say it is especially good for new teachers. Principals and superintendents of smaller districts call it an essential resource.

What is it?

CSCOPE is an “online curriculum management system” developed by the Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative and used in 875 of the state’s public school districts. CSCOPE affects about 34 percent of Texas public school students, according to State Board of Education chair Barbara Cargill. Most large school districts do not use CSCOPE.

Concerns expressed by constituents prompted state senators Dan Patrick and Donna Campbell to propose SB 1406, legislation requiring CSCOPE to allow public access to and review of its content. The bill has yet to be voted on by the Texas Senate.

In response to concerns, CSCOPE began posting lessons on its public website—mycscope.us—during the week of April 8.

CSCOPE has also voluntarily agreed to a formal review of its content. In March, Cargill appointed an ad hoc committee tasked with reviewing CSCOPE.

Cargill’s ad hoc committee, which held its first meeting in Dallas on March 29, began the process of the formal review of CSCOPE lessons.

Also, the ad hoc committee will appoint review panels to examine CSCOPE instructional content. Review of social studies curriculum—perhaps the most controversial of the subjects—is set to begin this summer. The public is invited to apply to participate on the review panels.

Nomination forms for the review panels and other information about the review process may be found on the Texas Education Agency website. The deadline to apply is April 29.

The review process itself will be conducted online. Panel members will receive passwords and have access to CSCOPE curriculum, Cargill said.

 “There are going to be 14 review panels,” Cargill told the TEXAN. The review panels will follow a checklist regarding content based upon SBOE operating rules.

Results of the review will be provided to the CSCOPE governing board for its consideration. The review will not, however, be binding on CSCOPE.

“It’s all voluntary. CSCOPE can take the suggestions that we give them and they can use them or not use them,” Cargill said. “Their curriculum specialists will look at what the review panels come up with and they will decide to either use them or not.”