Texas has long defended its right to determine what is taught in its classrooms, but a recent development has raised concerns about the influence of outside groups on the state’s curriculum. A California-based nonprofit, Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF), is driving changes to the state’s Personal Financial Literacy standards, prompting questions about who is deciding what Texas students learn.

Local Control at Stake

The debate surrounding Personal Financial Literacy may seem technical, but it raises a fundamental question: Who should decide what Texas students learn? The answer, according to many Texans, is Texans themselves. However, the adoption of NGPF’s curriculum framework, which emphasizes bookkeeping over foundational economic principles, has sparked concerns that the state is ceding control to outside interests.

The issue is not about whether personal financial literacy is important, but rather about who should shape the curriculum and what values it should reflect. Texans value entrepreneurship, free enterprise, and individual liberty, and many believe that these principles should be at the heart of the state’s education system.

A California-Driven Agenda

NGPF’s influence on Texas education standards is part of a broader national effort to shape curriculum and instruction. The organization’s ‘Mission 2030’ strategy aims to embed its preferred financial literacy framework in all 50 states, and Texas is one of its notable victories. However, this raises questions about whether Texas should allow a California-based group to drive changes to its education system.

The fact that NGPF’s curriculum framework is being adopted in Texas schools without undergoing the same level of review and scrutiny as traditional instructional materials has also sparked concerns. The open educational resource pathway created by House Bill 27 allows districts to bypass many of the safeguards that were put in place to ensure the quality and suitability of instructional materials.

Restoring Local Control

The State Board of Education still has time to act and restore economics, entrepreneurship, and free enterprise principles to the Personal Financial Literacy standards. By doing so, the board can ensure that Texas curriculum is written in Texas, for Texas students, by Texans. This is not just a matter of local pride, but also a question of whether the state’s education system should reflect the values and principles that Texans hold dear.

Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.