Let children permanently keep low cost mathematics and science textbooks

In 1990, Dr. Loewe discussed educational and fiscal benefits of allowing children to permanently keep their textbooks and of progressive school choice with Dr. Ursula von der Leyen, current President of the European Commission. Dr. von der Leyen invited Dr. Loewe to visit her and her husband in Hanover.

During the 1990's, Dr. Loewe urged legislators and education officials to study whether mathematics and science achievement are significantly correlated with extents to which children (are expected to) permanently keep their mathematics and science textbooks. Dr. Loewe urged researchers involved with the TIMSS international mathematics and science achievement tests to gather data to test for such correlations. TIMSS reports for 2003 and 2007 relate 8th-grade math and science scores to non-school books in the home.

In 2000, Dr. Loewe testified before the Texas State Board of Education on the benefits of allowing children to permanently keep low cost mathematics and science textbooks.

In 2000, 2006, and 2008, Dr. Loewe convinced Republicans at state senatorial district conventions to adopt platform resolutions on low cost textbooks. As a Delegate to the 2000 and 2006 state conventions of the Republican Party of Texas, Dr. Loewe attempted to convince the platform committees to adopt resolutions on low cost textbooks.

Representative Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) authored the following bills based on Dr. Loewe's proposal:

House Bill 759, 77th Regular Session (2001) of the Texas Legislature

House Bill 689, 78th Regular Session (2003) of the Texas Legislature

House Bill 2959, 81st Regular Session (2009) of the Texas Legislature

House Bill 3771, 83rd Regular Session (2013) of the Texas Legislature

Representative Kent Grusendorf (R-Arlington) coauthored House Bill 759 and House Bill 689 and, as Chair of the Texas House Public Education Committee, held a hearing on House Bill 689 at which Dr. Loewe was invited to testify. Based on data provided by the Embassy of Japan and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Dr. Loewe testified that Japanese and Korean children are allowed to permanently keep their textbooks and that Texas mathematics and science textbooks are multiple times more expensive than Japanese and Korean mathematics and science textbooks.

In 2005 testimony before the Texas Senate Education Committee, Dr. Loewe testified that "Texas pays excessively high prices for textbooks" and proposed ways for Texas to acquire textbooks at low cost.

Mark Loewe wrote House Bill 2959 during the 81st Regular Session (2009) of the Texas Legislature.

Mark Loewe "quoted" in Scientific American

In 1999, Mark Loewe wrote a letter to the editors of Scientific American to urge that American children be allowed to permanently keep low cost mathematics and science textbooks and to point out a discrepancy in "The False Crisis in Science Education" by W. Wayt Gibbs and Douglas Fox, Scientific American, October 1999. The following quotes from Dr. Loewe's letter (with insertions not written by Dr. Loewe) are featured in "Letters to the Editors", Scientific American, February 2000, page 6:

Another reader, Mark Loewe of Austin, Tex., notes, "Because American schools

expect students to return their expensive textbooks at the end of each year, textbooks

and teachers must repeat the same information again and again." Instead, he urges, the

U.S. should "follow the lead of schools in highly achieving nations such as Sweden

and Singapore and adopt science and math textbooks that students can keep. Without

the redundant information, such books would be easier for children to carry and much

Let children keep their math and science books

Mark Loewe, Ph. D. Physics, B. S. Physics, B. S. Chemistry, Austin, Texas, 18 March 2000

"The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest, most comprehensive, and most rigorous international study of schools and student achievement ever conducted."[1] According to the twelfth-grade TIMSS report, the U.S. placed dead last out of the 16 nations listed under Average Physics Performance of Advanced Science Students in All Countries[2] and placed 15th out of 16 nations listed under Average Advanced Mathematics Performance of Advanced Mathematics Students in All Countries.[3] Moreover, the twelfth-grade TIMSS report did not include Singapore, Korea, or Japan, the three highest achieving nations out of over 40 nations listed in the eighth-grade TIMSS report[4] and the three highest achieving nations out of the 26 nations listed in the fourth-grade TIMSS report.[5]

One reason why American children perform poorly is that they do not get to keep the textbooks they study. This robs children of valuable educational benefits of permanently possessing their familiar, reliable sources of knowledge. It also denies authors and teachers reason to assume children have ready home access to a full range of review material. In costly efforts to provide missing material, "... American texts covered many more topics than the foreign books and covered them over and over and over."[6] "American teachers are also more likely to repeat the same information from one grade to the next and to cover little or nothing in depth."[7]

In Singapore, Korea, Japan, and other high achieving nations, children get to keep their own textbooks and can read and write in their books whenever they need or wish. Authors and teachers expect children to have their books from previous years. Books limit review material and focus on new material. Teachers limit review time and cover new material in greater depth. Books do not get beaten-up or marked-in by other children and do not fall out-of-date due to years of being reissued. Books are smaller,[8] softcovered, much easier to carry, and much less expensive.

In Austin, Texas, the price of the 16 first-grade through eighth-grade math and science textbooks is $490.73.[9] Even if these books last through five children, their price is $98.15 per child or $12.27 per child per year. In Singapore, the price of 22 textbooks and 36 workbooks (written in English) is only $106.02, or $13.25 per child per year.[10] For Americans and others, the cost of adopting math and science books for children to keep is tiny compared to the benefits and savings from improved education.

The framers of the Constitution considered "the Progress of Science and useful Arts" to be of fundamental importance.[11] A fundamental way for parents, teachers, education officials, and legislators to promote both individual achievement and the progress of science and technology is to let children keep their math and science textbooks.

[1] Opening sentence of Pascal D. Forgione, Jr.'s "Commissioner's Statement" in U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Twelfth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context, NCES 98-049, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1998, p. 5. Dr. Forgione is Austin ISD's new Superintendent.

[2] ibid, p. 47. Norway made the highest score of 581. The US made the lowest score of 423. Physics was the only advanced science included in the twelfth-grade TIMSS report.

[3] ibid, p. 39. France made the highest score of 557. Austria made the lowest score of 436. The US score was 442.

[4] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Pursuing Excellence, NCES 97-198, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1996, pp. 20-21. Singapore 1250 = 643 + 607, Japan 1176 = 605 + 571, and Korea 1172 = 607 + 565 made the three highest total (math plus science) scores. The US total score was 1034 = 500 + 534.

[5] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Fourth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context, NCES 97-255, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1997, pp. 20-21. Korea 1208 = 611 + 597, Singapore 1172 = 625 + 547, and Japan 1171 = 597 + 574 made the three highest total (math plus science) scores. The US total score was 1110 = 545 + 565.

[6] W. Wayt Gibbs and Douglas Fox, "The False Crisis in Science Education", in Scientific American, October 1999, p. 88.

[7] William H. Schmidt, "Focus the high school curriculum", in Scientific American, October 1999, p. 92. Dr. Schmidt was U.S. National Research Coordinator, Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

[8] For example, in photographs on page 88 of Reference 6, the four Swedish math and science textbooks are less than half the size of the four Amarillo, Texas math and science textbooks.

[9] This is the state contract price of the 16 textbooks adopted by Austin ISD from Texas' approved textbook list.

[10] These books are Curriculum Planning and Development Division (CPPD) publications listed on Singapore's Approved Textbook List (found at the Ministry of Education website: http://www1.moe.edu.sg/textbooks.htm) as covering first-grade through eighth-grade math and third-grade through eighth-grade science. Their total price, which applies to the Singapore market only, is SG $181.35 or, at the exchange rate of one Singapore dollar to 58 US cents, $106.02.

[11] The Constitution of the United States provides that: "The Congress shall have Power ... To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries ...." As one of the few powers vested in Congress, and as one of the fewer still that were adopted unanimously (according to Notes of debates in the Federal Convention of 1787 reported by James Madison, W. W. Norton & Company, New York 1987, ISBN 0393304051, pages 580-581), this power stands as convincing evidence that the framers of the Constitution considered the progress of science and technology to be of fundamental importance.

Some Texas 8th-graders lack books in their homes

In reference to findings of the 1999 TIMSS, the Texas Education Agency (4 April 2001 press release) states that "Fifteen percent of the Texas students who took the science exam said they had 10 or fewer books in their homes". This tragic circumstance probably refers to non-school books. That Texas students are rarely allowed to permanently keep their math and science textbooks is a tragedy that Texas can easily and inexpensively avoid.

American children need their textbooks, too!

Mark Loewe, Ph. D. Physics, B. S. Physics, B. S. Chemistry, Austin, Texas, 25 August 2002

It is time to allow American children to permanently keep their math and science textbooks. This practice --- which is followed in high achieving nations --- may be the simplest and least expensive way to improve American math and science achievement. Legislation similar to Texas House Bill 759 is needed to ensure that inexpensive math and science textbooks are made available.

The miserable performance of American children in math and science is well documented. In reports issued in 1996, 1997, and 1998, Dr. Pascal Forgione, Jr., Commissioner of Education Statistics at the U. S. Department of Education, states that "The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the largest, most comprehensive, and most rigorous international study of schools and student achievement ever conducted." According to the 12th-grade TIMSS report, the U. S. placed last out of 16 nations listed under "Average Physics Performance of Advanced Science Students" and placed 15th out of 16 nations listed under "Average Advanced Mathematics Performance of Advanced Mathematics Students". The 12th-grade report did not include Singapore, Korea, or Japan --- the three highest achieving nations out of over 40 nations listed in the 8th-grade report and the three highest achieving nations out of 26 nations listed in the 4th-grade report. Moreover, from 1996 to 2000, there were statistically significant declines in the average scores of American 12th-graders on the math and science parts of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

One reason for the poor performance is that math and science textbooks are removed from American children at the end of each year. This robs children of their familiar and reliable sources of knowledge and causes children to waste time searching for missing material. Review material, if found in subsequent textbooks, is divorced from the exercises that children originally solved and is again removed. Difficulties finding suitable review material impede learning and contribute to aggravation, boredom, and resignation. Textbook removal is additionally tragic for children who possess few, if any, other books. Rather than resent the study of textbooks that they know will be removed, children should have the opportunity to learn that there is value in keeping their well-studied textbooks.

Textbook removal denies authors and teachers reason to expect that children have a full range of review material at home. This results in time-consuming efforts to provide missing material. In the October 1999 issue of Scientific American, W. Wayt Gibbs and Douglas Fox state that "... American texts covered many more topics than the foreign books and covered them over and over and over" and Dr. William H. Schmidt, U. S. National Research Coordinator for TIMSS, states that "American teachers are also more likely to repeat the same information from one grade to the next and to cover little or nothing in depth."

In Singapore, Korea, Japan, and other high achieving nations, children get to keep their own textbooks and can review and write in their books whenever they need or wish. Authors and teachers expect children to have their books from previous years. Authors limit review material and focus on new material. Teachers limit review time and cover new material in greater depth. Teachers do not need to continually review material that children can easily review at home.

In Texas, the state contract price of the 17 most expensive textbooks listed on the "conforming list" as covering math for grades K-8 and science for grades 1-8 is $602.89; if each book lasts through six children, then the cost is $100.48 per child. In Singapore, the price of the most expensive set of books (20 textbooks, 4 coursebooks, 34 workbooks, and 3 sets of worksheets) listed as covering math and science through Grade 8 is 201.20 Singapore dollars or, at the exchange rate of one Singapore dollar to 56 US cents, only $112.67. Textbooks that are made for children to keep are much less expensive because the needs for review material and durability are greatly reduced and because they are printed in larger number. Such books are smaller, softcovered, much easier to carry, do not get beaten-up or written-in by multiple children, and do not fall out-of-date due to years of being reissued.

Opponents might claim that allowing children to keep their math and science textbooks would cost huge amounts of money. Comparing $100.48 to $112.67 (instead of $602.89) suggests that the additional cost, if any, would be roughly $12.19 per child through Grade 8; this is less than two dollars per child per year! Even if the additional cost were somewhat higher, it would still be tiny compared to the benefits of allowing children to permanently possess their familiar textbooks.

Legislation to ensure that inexpensive textbooks are made available was introduced during the 2001 session of the Texas Legislature by Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) and co-authored by Kent Grusendorf (R-Arlington). House Bill 759 provides that "For mathematics and science instruction in grades one through six, each textbook the State Board of Education adopts must have a cost that is low enough to permit a student to keep the book at the end of the school year, so that the student may review the core concepts of the essential knowledge and skills as necessary."

The Constitution provides that "The Congress shall have Power ... To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries ...." As one of the few powers vested in Congress, this power stands as convincing evidence that the Framers considered the progress of science and useful arts to be of fundamental national importance.

A fundamental way for parents, teachers, education officials, and legislators to promote both individual achievement and the progress of science and technology is to allow children to permanently keep their math and science textbooks.

Relation of 8th-grade math and science scores to non-school books in the home

Average Grade 8 math and science scores for countries that participated in the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) are shown in 2007 Math Exhibit 1.1 and 2007 Science Exhibit 1.1. 2007 Math Exhibit 4.4 and 2007 Science Exhibit 4.4 report the average scores for those percentages of students within each country who chose different answers to a 2007 question that is probably the same as Question 4 of the TIMSS 2003 Student Questionnaire Grade 8, which reads as follows:

About how many books are there in your home? (Do not count magazines,

newspapers, or your school books.)

Enough to fill one shelf

Enough to fill one bookcase

Enough to fill two bookcases

Enough to fill three or more bookcases

(more than 200 books)

Average Grade 8 math and science scores for countries that participated in the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) are shown in 2003 Math Exhibit 1.1 and 2003 Science Exhibit 1.1. 2003 Math Exhibit 4.4 and 2003 Science Exhibit 4.4 report the average scores for those percentages of students within each country who chose different answers to Question 4 of the TIMSS 2003 Student Questionnaire Grade 8.

For the USA in 2007, eighth-graders with more than 200 non-school books in the home averaged 85 points higher in math and 100 points higher in science than eighth-graders with 10 or fewer non-school books in the home.

For the USA in 2003, eighth-graders with more than 200 non-school books in the home averaged 92 points higher in math and 100 points higher in science than eighth-graders with 10 or fewer non-school books in the home.

2007 average math score > 200 101-200 26-100 11-25 0-10

(Percentage of students) books books books books books

Chinese Taipei 598(100) 649(18) 636(13) 611(31) 577(21) 518(17)

Korea, Rep. of 597(100) 643(26) 613(25) 584(29) 548(11) 528( 9)

Singapore 593(100) 636(14) 625(15) 607(32) 568(24) 536(16)

Hong Kong SAR 572(100) 610(10) 598( 9) 591(26) 568(30) 537(26)

Japan 570(100) 604(16) 588(16) 577(32) 551(21) 526(15)

Massachusetts, US 547(100) 587(26) 564(19) 551(27) 509(15) 478(12)

Minnesota, US 532(100) 560(23) 551(21) 528(30) 511(16) 483(10)

Quebec, Canada 528(100) 567(12) 553(13) 533(32) 515(26) 501(18)

Hungary 517(100) 560(26) 538(21) 510(30) 469(15) 431( 7)

Ontario, Canada 517(100) 544(23) 528(22) 517(31) 489(16) 474( 8)

England 513(100) 568(18) 536(18) 521(28) 485(21) 452(15)

Russian Federation 512(100) 540(16) 533(21) 511(37) 484(22) 467( 5)

British Columbia, Canada 509(100) 531(24) 519(21) 513(31) 485(15) 460( 9)

United States 508(100) 546(18) 538(17) 515(28) 482(20) 461(17)

Lithuania 506(100) 544(10) 544(13) 520(33) 483(32) 458(12)

Czech Republic 504(100) 543(12) 527(21) 506(40) 469(20) 451( 7)

Slovenia 501(100) 535(11) 529(15) 509(37) 479(29) 449( 7)

Armenia 499(100) 511(19) 511(13) 503(28) 487(24) 485(16)

Basque Country, Spain 499(100) 527(26) 510(22) 493(33) 468(15) 429( 5)

Australia 496(100) 532(22) 516(22) 492(32) 464(15) 438( 9)

Sweden 491(100) 521(26) 502(20) 486(29) 468(16) 442( 8)

Malta 488(100) 519(19) 516(19) 491(37) 460(18) 401( 8)

Scotland 487(100) 540(15) 527(14) 499(25) 469(24) 439(22)

Serbia 486(100) 532( 8) 520( 9) 514(26) 470(39) 443(18)

Italy 480(100) 505(22) 498(16) 482(28) 458(23) 439(11)

Malaysia 474(100) 532( 5) 510( 9) 493(29) 460(38) 439(19)

Norway 469(100) 493(25) 482(20) 471(30) 443(17) 415( 7)

Cyprus 465(100) 490(13) 499(17) 474(34) 444(25) 407(10)

Bulgaria 464(100) 504(23) 497(15) 474(24) 444(16) 410(22)

Israel 463(100) 493(21) 485(19) 466(31) 440(20) 417( 9)

Ukraine 462(100) 500(12) 489(16) 472(35) 435(30) 406( 7)

Romania 461(100) 524( 9) 513(11) 485(30) 442(33) 398(17)

Dubai, UAE 461(100) 501(11) 500(14) 481(29) 445(29) 414(17)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 456(100) 500( 3) 487( 4) 475(22) 454(45) 435(26)

International Avg 486(12) 481(12) 464(27) 436(29) 413(20)

Lebanon 449(100) 464(10) 473(10) 466(28) 442(30) 425(22)

Thailand 441(100) 538( 3) 506( 4) 471(21) 434(42) 413(30)

Turkey 432(100) 494( 5) 497( 9) 467(23) 427(37) 378(26)

Jordan 427(100) 463( 9) 453(10) 444(29) 417(35) 395(17)

Tunisia 420(100) 461( 3) 477( 5) 441(21) 412(41) 406(30)

Georgia 410(100) 443(20) 436(15) 410(27) 389(25) 375(13)

Iran, Islamic Rep. of 403(100) 445( 6) 453( 5) 442(16) 402(30) 379(43)

Bahrain 398(100) 409(11) 428(13) 411(32) 381(27) 375(17)

Indonesia 397(100) ---( 1) ---( 2) 425(17) 389(55) 393(25)

Syrian Arab Republic 395(100) 401( 5) 409( 7) 409(22) 393(39) 386(27)

Egypt 391(100) 386( 5) 417( 5) 411(21) 390(38) 381(31)

Algeria 387(100) ---( 2) 395( 4) 398(17) 386(41) 382(36)

Colombia 380(100) 443( 3) 429( 4) 406(20) 383(35) 351(37)

Oman 372(100) 395( 9) 399(11) 394(28) 366(31) 338(21)

Palestinian Nat'l Auth. 367(100) 380( 7) 398( 7) 386(23) 369(35) 349(29)

Botswana 364(100) 376( 6) 376( 5) 383(14) 364(37) 358(39)

Kuwait 354(100) 354(10) 373( 9) 367(24) 354(30) 341(27)

El Salvador 340(100) 348( 3) 380( 4) 367(16) 348(32) 322(44)

Saudi Arabia 329(100) 342( 8) 358( 7) 348(25) 328(32) 306(27)

Ghana 309(100) 315( 6) 314( 4) 328(13) 306(39) 308(38)

Qatar 307(100) 317(16) 329(13) 326(27) 295(25) 275(19)

Morocco 381(100) 400( 6) 406( 8) 395(22) 374(38) 367(25)

2007 average science score > 200 101-200 26-100 11-25 0-10

(Percentage of students) books books books books books

Singapore 567(100) 626(14) 613(15) 579(32) 537(24) 498(16)

Chinese Taipei 561(100) 607(18) 598(13) 572(31) 541(21) 489(17)

Massachusetts, US 556(100) 600(26) 573(19) 559(27) 513(15) 485(12)

Japan 554(100) 586(16) 573(16) 561(32) 539(21) 507(15)

Korea, Rep. of 553(100) 592(26) 562(25) 543(29) 521(11) 489( 9)

England 542(100) 604(18) 569(18) 548(28) 509(21) 476(15)

Hungary 539(100) 579(26) 553(21) 535(30) 500(15) 456( 7)

Czech Republic 539(100) 575(12) 562(21) 542(40) 506(20) 481( 7)

Minnesota, US 539(100) 570(23) 562(21) 536(30) 507(16) 477(10)

Slovenia 538(100) 573(11) 569(15) 545(37) 515(29) 478( 7)

Hong Kong SAR 530(100) 564(10) 557( 9) 545(26) 525(30) 500(26)

Russian Federation 530(100) 556(16) 545(21) 531(37) 502(22) 498( 5)

Ontario, Canada 526(100) 561(23) 540(22) 522(31) 494(16) 473( 8)

British Columbia, Canada 526(100) 555(24) 540(21) 525(31) 493(15) 477( 9)

United States 520(100) 564(18) 555(17) 526(28) 492(20) 464(17)

Lithuania 519(100) 560(10) 553(13) 533(33) 495(32) 472(12)

Australia 515(100) 553(22) 541(22) 510(32) 480(15) 440( 9)

Sweden 511(100) 548(26) 529(20) 503(29) 480(16) 446( 8)

Quebec, Canada 507(100) 547(12) 536(13) 513(32) 492(26) 473(18)

Basque Country, Spain 498(100) 531(26) 507(22) 491(33) 465(15) 432( 5)

Scotland 496(100) 561(15) 538(14) 508(25) 478(24) 436(22)

Italy 495(100) 524(22) 516(16) 495(28) 472(23) 451(11)

Dubai, UAE 489(100) 534(11) 524(14) 509(29) 468(29) 448(17)

Armenia 488(100) 494(19) 496(13) 487(28) 485(24) 482(16)

Norway 487(100) 518(25) 503(20) 488(30) 455(17) 417( 7)

Ukraine 485(100) 517(12) 512(16) 496(35) 458(30) 436( 7)

Jordan 482(100) 515( 9) 511(10) 500(29) 470(35) 452(17)

Malaysia 471(100) 528( 5) 517( 9) 489(29) 460(38) 427(19)

Thailand 471(100) 554( 3) 521( 4) 499(21) 466(42) 443(30)

Serbia 470(100) 508( 8) 501( 9) 497(26) 458(39) 427(18)

Bulgaria 470(100) 504(19) 496(12) 491(24) 461(18) 428(26)

Israel 468(100) 503(21) 490(19) 470(31) 443(20) 419( 9)

Bahrain 467(100) 478(11) 493(13) 481(32) 454(27) 445(17)

Bosnia and Herzegovina 466(100) 513( 3) 504( 4) 489(22) 462(45) 442(26)

International Avg 500(12) 496(12) 479(27) 452(29) 426(20)

Romania 462(100) 516( 9) 507(11) 479(30) 448(33) 408(17)

Iran, Islamic Rep. of 459(100) 509( 6) 509( 5) 490(16) 461(30) 434(43)

Malta 457(100) 507(19) 495(19) 457(37) 415(18) 352( 8)

Turkey 454(100) 501( 5) 507( 9) 485(23) 449(37) 410(26)

Syrian Arab Republic 452(100) 446( 5) 472( 7) 465(22) 452(39) 441(27)

Cyprus 452(100) 479(13) 484(17) 457(34) 431(25) 398(10)

Tunisia 445(100) 468( 3) 483( 5) 461(21) 439(41) 435(30)

Indonesia 427(100) ---( 1) ---( 2) 447(17) 421(55) 423(25)

Oman 423(100) 446( 9) 449(11) 444(28) 417(31) 388(21)

Georgia 421(100) 447(20) 439(15) 427(27) 406(25) 385(13)

Kuwait 418(100) 414(10) 451( 9) 435(24) 420(30) 399(27)

Colombia 417(100) 483( 3) 470( 4) 445(20) 419(35) 389(37)

Lebanon 414(100) 441(10) 457(10) 437(28) 405(30) 376(22)

Egypt 408(100) 404( 5) 426( 5) 429(21) 408(38) 399(31)

Algeria 408(100) ---( 2) 427( 4) 418(17) 408(41) 403(36)

Palestinian Nat'l Auth. 404(100) 420( 7) 435( 7) 427(23) 409(35) 379(29)

Saudi Arabia 403(100) 412( 8) 436( 7) 425(25) 401(32) 379(27)

El Salvador 387(100) 405( 3) 428( 4) 413(16) 394(32) 368(44)

Botswana 355(100) 370( 6) 372( 5) 377(14) 358(37) 345(39)

Qatar 319(100) 331(16) 350(13) 339(27) 304(25) 281(19)

Ghana 303(100) 296( 6) 325( 4) 330(13) 300(39) 301(38)

Morocco 402(100) 401( 6) 423( 8) 412(22) 398(38) 392(25)

2003 average math score > 200 101-200 26-100 11-25 0-10

(Percentage of students) books books books books books

Singapore 605(100) 642(14) 627(16) 617(33) 580(24) 554(12)

Korea, Rep. of 589(100) 636(19) 608(22) 586(33) 555(10) 534(15)

Hong Kong, SAR 586(100) 608( 9) 611( 8) 595(27) 583(28) 567(28)

Chinese Taipei 585(100) 639(15) 622(14) 600(30) 564(24) 513(17)

Japan 570(100) 604(17) 587(17) 571(32) 553(22) 533(13)

Quebec Province 543(100) 561(13) 563(16) 547(33) 529(24) 521(14)

Belgium (Flemish) 537(100) 560(12) 558(15) 544(34) 527(25) 497(14)

Netherlands 536(100) 565(21) 558(19) 539(31) 504(19) 490(10)

Estonia 531(100) 549(45) 534(18) 515(23) 503(11) 476( 3)

Hungary 529(100) 567(31) 543(22) 516(29) 481(13) 433( 5)

Ontario Province 521(100) 544(28) 532(21) 513(31) 494(14) 482( 7)

Malaysia 508(100) 555( 5) 539( 9) 524(28) 498(40) 477(17)

Latvia 508(100) 528(28) 515(25) 505(31) 480(12) 453( 4)

Russian Federation 508(100) 534(21) 521(26) 505(32) 476(17) 457( 4)

Slovak Republic 508(100) 551(12) 543(18) 514(41) 465(24) 424( 5)

Indiana State 508(100) 541(19) 526(17) 514(32) 484(19) 467(14)

Australia 505(100) 526(31) 514(23) 501(30) 477(11) 448( 5)

United States 504(100) 541(24) 528(18) 506(28) 473(18) 449(13)

International Avg 467(100) 498(15) 492(13) 476(27) 449(26) 429(18)

Saudi Arabia 332(100) 347(10) 355( 9) 347(25) 321(33) 318(23)

Ghana 276(100) 275(10) 300( 6) 294(16) 285(34) 264(34)

South Africa 264(100) 324( 6) 325( 5) 304(14) 261(31) 241(44)

2003 average science score > 200 101-200 26-100 11-25 0-10

(Percentage of students) books books books books books

Singapore 578(100) 631(14) 607(16) 589(33) 546(24) 508(12)

Chinese Taipei 571(100) 616(15) 602(14) 582(30) 552(24) 515(17)

Korea, Rep. of 558(100) 596(19) 572(22) 556(33) 533(10) 514(15)

Hong Kong, SAR 556(100) 576( 9) 574( 8) 565(27) 555(28) 538(28)

Japan 552(100) 584(17) 567(17) 552(32) 539(22) 517(13)

Estonia 552(100) 567(45) 552(18) 543(23) 528(11) 516( 3)

Hungary 543(100) 578(31) 551(22) 531(29) 499(13) 466( 5)

Netherlands 536(100) 567(21) 556(19) 535(31) 508(19) 492(10)

Ontario Province 533(100) 560(28) 539(21) 523(31) 507(14) 497( 7)

Quebec Province 531(100) 553(13) 551(16) 535(33) 519(24) 501(14)

Indiana State 531(100) 566(19) 552(17) 537(32) 510(19) 477(14)

United States 527(100) 569(24) 552(18) 527(28) 493(18) 469(13)

International Avg 474(100) 506(15) 498(13) 483(27) 458(26) 438(18)

Botswana 365(100) 407( 4) 402( 5) 395(13) 368(30) 348(48)

Ghana 255(100) 259(10) 276( 6) 277(16) 264(34) 246(34)

South Africa 244(100) 315( 6) 316( 5) 288(14) 241(31) 218(44)

Mark Loewe, Libertarian, for Congress, United States Representative, District 35, Texas, low cost textbooks, math and science

Texas pays excessively high prices for textbooks

Texas pays excessively high prices for textbooks, multiple times higher than prices paid for textbooks in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and other places. The cost of one set of textbooks that cover math and science for grades 1 through 8 was more than 7.5 times higher in Texas than in Japan, more than 15 times higher in Texas than in Korea, and more than 4.5 times higher in Texas than in Singapore:

Japan 9094 Yen = (118.59 Yen/$)($ 76.68)

Korea 48080 Won = (1241.5 Won/$)($ 38.73)

Texas $591.26

Singapore 217.10 SGD = (1.7592 SGD/$)($123.41)

These costs are based on data provided by government sources from 21 February 2003 to 21 March 2003. The approximate exchange rates are from 14 March 2003. Mark Loewe presented testimony on costs to the Texas House Public Education Committee at an 18 March 2003 hearing on House Bill 689.

Mark Loewe, Libertarian, for Congress, United States Representative, District 35, Texas, low cost textbooks, math and science

College textbooks are priced higher in the USA by similar multiples

Ira N. Levine, Physical Chemistry, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York 2002, ISBN 0072534958, is sold in the USA for $158.75 (20 January 2007 quote from McGraw-Hill). A 2001 printing, ISBN 0070495084, is sold in India for 495 Rupees or $11.21. The price in the USA is more than 14 times higher than the price in India.

Arno Bohm, Quantum Mechanics: Foundations and Applications, 3rd Edition, Springer-Verlag, New York 2001, ISBN 0387953302, is sold in the USA for $84.95. A 2003 printing, ISBN 8181280725, is sold in India for 495 Rupees or $11.21. The price in the USA is more than 7.5 times higher than the price in India. Both copies are paperback and have the same font sizes. The rear cover of the copy sold in India states: "For sale in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka only."

Texas can easily acquire textbooks at costs that are low enough to allow children to permanently keep their textbooks

Copies of a 300-page textbook can be printed, bound (Smyth sewn paperback), and delivered to a distribution location in Texas for roughly $2 per copy. Sets of a 5000-page math and science curriculum for grades 1-8 can be printed, bound, and delivered to Texas for roughly $35 per set.

For material not (or no longer) under copyright, Texas may print and distribute the material as desired, with no need to pay any copyright owner. A huge amount of material suitable for textbooks is not under copyright, including, for example, the works of Shakespeare, James Madison's notes of debates at the Federal Convention of 1787, the Federalist Papers, and other material prepared privately or by governments.

For material under copyright, owners (authors) may be paid modest royalties based on the number of copies that Texas prints and distributes to children who reside in Texas. Many specialists, including teachers, would be pleased to prepare contents and to permit Texas to print and distribute the contents in exchange for recognition and modest royalties. The following royalty schedule would attract high quality contents for many subjects:

$3.00 per copy for the first 100,000 copies,

$2.75 per copy for the second 100,000 copies,

$2.50 per copy for the third 100,000 copies,

... ,

$1.00 per copy for the ninth 100,000 copies,

$0.75 per copy for the tenth 100,000 copies, and

$0.50 per copy for any copies over one million.

Lower royalties may suffice for some subjects, higher royalties may be necessary for other subjects.

A combined physical and content cost of roughly $5 per textbook, even if not as low as in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and other places, is easily low enough to allow children in Texas to permanently keep their textbooks.

A framework for state acquisition of low cost textbooks

The following framework is based in part on testimony given by Mark Loewe at a 1 August 2005 hearing on Senate Bill 8 before the Texas Senate Education Committee. Refinements have been omitted for brevity. Many variants and refinements are worth considering.

Submission of contents for a low cost textbook shall consist of

(a) delivery to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) of two electronic copies of the textbook on separate (sets of) computer disks and one paper copy printed from each computer disk,

(b) execution by the copyright owners (authors) of a contract that would permit Texas to forever print and distribute as many copies as are needed for children who reside in Texas, and

Contents must meet format standards set by the State Board of Education (SBOE).

Texas shall pay modest royalties to copyright owners (authors) based on the number of copies of their low cost textbooks that Texas prints and distributes to children who reside in Texas. The SBOE shall adjust royalties as necessary to attract high quality contents.

Low cost textbooks shall be printed, bound, and delivered to distribution locations in Texas at costs determined by competitive bid within cost limits set by the SBOE. Bidders must agree to meet physical standards and delivery dates set by the SBOE. The SBOE may disregard bids by bidders who fail to show sufficient evidence of ability to deliver on their bids or who have failed to deliver on previous bids.

Tables of contents of low cost textbooks shall be made available on the TEA's website. The public shall be allowed to view the contents of low cost textbooks at regional education service centers and at other locations as provided for by the SBOE.

Errata lists for low cost textbooks shall be made available on the TEA's website and shall be updated periodically as errors are found.

Orders for low cost textbooks may be placed with the TEA on behalf of children who reside in Texas.

The TEA shall adjust the prices of low cost textbooks as necessary to cover royalties and to cover the costs to print, bind, and deliver copies.

By majority vote, the SBOE may approve the use of state textbook funds to provide copies of a low cost textbook free of charge to children who reside in Texas; such copies shall become the permanent property of the children to whom they are distributed.

A request made by a school district or school for the SBOE to approve the use of state textbook funds for a low cost textbook shall describe the extent of the school district's or school's review of the low cost textbook, list any errors that may have been found (errors that appear on TEA errata lists need not be relisted), and state the estimated number of copies that would be ordered per year if SBOE approval were to be granted.

House Bill 2959 would allow Texas school children to permanently keep low cost math and science textbooks

House Bill 2959 was authored by Representative Garnet Coleman (D-Houston). Mark Loewe wrote HB 2959. Some key provisions of HB 2959 are:

The State Board of Education shall set limits on royalties that may be paid from the

state textbook fund for a textbook whose contents are submitted under Section 31.036.

Submission of contents for a low cost mathematics or science textbook shall consist of

... execution by the copyright owners of a contract that would ... permit this state to

forever print and distribute as many copies of the contents as are needed for students

who reside in this state

The State Board of Education shall adopt rules under which textbooks adopted under

Section 31.037(b)(1) are printed, bound, and delivered to depositories in this state at

costs determined by competitive bid within cost limits set by the board.

At the end of the school year for which a textbook adopted under Section 31.037(b) is

distributed, the textbook becomes the property of the student to whom it is distributed.

During the 2003 session of the Texas Legislature, House Bill 689 was authored by Coleman and coauthored by Representative Kent Grusendorf (R-Arlington), Chair, Public Education Committee. (Coleman and Grusendorf initially authored and coauthored HB 759 during the 2001 session.) Representative Scott Hochberg (D-Houston) introduced a committee substitute for HB 689. Mark Loewe and a representative of the Texas State Teachers Association testified "For" HB 689. A representative of the Association of American Publishers testified "On" HB 689. Nobody testified "Against" HB 689. HB 689 was left pending in committee.

Low cost math and science textbook resolution adopted by Senatorial District 25, Travis County, Republican Party of Texas

In 2008, Mark Loewe convinced delegates to adopt the following resolution:

Acquisition of Low-Cost Textbooks. We call on the Texas Legislature and State Board of Education:

1. To require copyright owners who submit contents for low cost math and science textbooks to execute contracts that would, in exchange for modest royalties set by the SBOE, permit Texas to forever print and distribute as many copies as necessary for children who reside in Texas,

2. To have low cost textbooks printed, bound, and delivered to distribution locations in Texas at costs determined by competitive bid within cost limits set by the SBOE, and

3. To enable school districts, schools, and families to use existing public textbook funds to provide low cost math and science textbooks for their children to keep permanently.