Texas Speech Communication Association
June 30, 2013
Dear Members of the Texas State Board of Education:
Texas House Bill 5 has omitted Communication Applications and Professional Communication as part of the new foundational curriculum. In the past, the SBOE has added a ½ credit of speech (through either Communication Applications or Professional Communication) to the graduation requirements for students in Texas public secondary schools.
The Texas Speech Communication Association supports this board action again.
Communication Applications has been a part of the core curriculum in Texas public schools for nearly15 years. More recently, Professional Communication has been added to the core curriculum as an equivalent to Communication Applications.
The Texas State Board of Education established these courses in response to the requests of business leaderswho underscored the importance of interpersonal, nonverbal, and small group communication in addition to verbal skills and listening skills.
Below are four of many recent studies on the need for communication education:
- A 2008 study analyzed nearly 100 books and articles from 2000 to 2007 and found the top six reasonswhy communication education is important:
“(1) development of the whole person”
“(2) improvement of the educational enterprise”
“(3) being a responsible participant in the world, socially and culturally”
“(4) succeeding as an individual in one’s career and in business”
“(5) enhancing organizational processes and organizational life”
“(6) emerging concerns in the 21st century (…healthcommunication, crisis and communication, crime and policing)”[1]
- A 2009 survey of “302 employers whose organizations have at least 25 employees and report that 25% or more of their new hires hold either an associates degree from a two-year college or abachelor’s degree from a four-year college” reports that the first priority of all of respondents is “the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.”[2]
- Drs. Katherine and Randall Hansen—educators and publishers of Quintessential Careers—note that “By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and speak effectively.[3]
- Dr. Steven Beebe—National Communication Association President and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at TexasStateUniversity—notes that "Understanding the role and function of communication can help improve familial and romantic relationships." Additionally, "Increasing our understanding of the role and importance of human communication with our colleagues can help us better manage stress on the job as well as enhance our work success."[4]
While several courses in the core curriculum may provide a chance for students to give oral reports to their peers and teachers, only Communication Applications and/or Professional Communication, taught by certified speech instructors, will guarantee that Texas public school students will study all of the above indicatorsemphasized by scholarly research and garner the mostpreparation possible to succeed in our new economy. Only the TEKS for Communication Applications and Professional Communication meet all these needs for our students.
As you begin to implement the curriculum established by HB 5, please continue to include Communication Applications and Professional Communication in the graduation requirements.
Sincerely,
[1]Morreale, S. P., & Pearson, J. C. (2008). Why communication education is important: The centrality of the discipline in the 21st century. Communication Education, 57(2), 224–240, p. 228
[2]Hart Research Associates. (2009). Raising the bar: Employers’ views on college learning in the wake of the econominc downturn. 1724 Connecticut Avenue, NWWashington, DC20009: Hart Research Associates, p. 2-9.
[3] Hansen, K., & Hansen, R. S., Quintessential careers: What do employers really want? Top skills and values employers seek from job-seekers. Downloaded June 9, 2013 from
[4]Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Ivy, D. K. (2012). Communication Principles for a Lifetime. 5th ed. p. 6.