Texas, Bluebonnet Learning Shows Success in Education is Possible

America is in the midst of an education collapse. Declining literacy rates. Falling math scores. Shortened attention spans.

And a growing uncertainty is emerging: What should we do? But in Texas, Bluebonnet Learning provides common sense curriculum, serious structure, and a reverence for the Western tradition by giving students a clear sense of what is worth knowing and, as early results show, better scores.

Just this week, the Texas Education Agency released data on the first outcomes of the 619 districts that have adopted Bluebonnet Learning. In K-5 Math and Reading, and Secondary Math—all scores are up. And districts that were part of the pilot program saw even bigger gains across all three.

“This makes the improvements seen in the first year an encouraging sign of early progress and is a testament to the work of Texas educators,” the TEA announcement states.

Test scores are improving, and those better results are now even costing less. According to the TEA announcement, because Bluebonnet’s print costs are lower than other SBOE-approved materials, some classrooms are saving hundreds of dollars.

Way back in May 2024, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath turned heads when he said that the newly proposed, state-created curriculum was going to pair a focus on the “Western tradition” and a “classical model of education,” with “rigorous phonics instruction in the earliest grades that is aligned with our state standards.” In his words: “This is part of ensuring that there’s a general diffusion of knowledge so that the next generation has the ability to defend our liberties.”

From then on, there was the first release of the curricula that covered K-5 reading and language arts, and K-8 algebra that was applauded by Gov. Greg Abbott for providing students with a “robust educational foundation to succeed so that we can build a brighter Texas for generations to come.” Then came the approval from the State Board of Education; an act that TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar called “the next big step toward dramatically improving the quality of education in Texas.”

Now come the early fruits of those seeds of optimism. The first Bluebonnet Learning results show that better scores at lower costs to taxpayers are possible.

Teachers and students are showing that they are willing and able to encounter the stories of the Western canon, the traditions of Christianity, the arguments of Greek philosophy, and the civic inheritance of America’s Founding when combined with a focus on phonics, handwriting, grammar, teacher support, and high-quality instructional materials.

All that is left is to keep going. Widespread adoption can improve scores for students statewide. Almost 620 districts have already opted in, more should do the same.