September 26, 2022 Committee of the Full Board

Public Hearing on Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, and Subchapter C, High School

September 26, 2022

COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION

SUMMARY: A public hearing before the State Board of Education (SBOE) is scheduled for Monday, September 26, 2022, in the William B. Travis Building, Room 1-104. Testimony will be presented regarding proposed amendments to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, and Subchapter C, High School. In accordance with SBOE operating procedures, oral testimony will be limited to two minutes per person.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4); 28.002(a), (c), (h), (h-1), and (h-2); and 28.025(a) and (b-1)(4).

TEC, §7.102(c)(4), requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to establish curriculum and graduation requirements.

TEC, §28.002(a), identifies the subjects of the required curriculum.

TEC, §28.002(c), requires the SBOE to identify by rule the essential knowledge and skills of each subject in the required curriculum that all students should be able to demonstrate and that will be used in evaluating instructional materials and addressed on the state assessment instruments.

TEC, §28.002(h), requires the SBOE and each school district to require the teaching of informed patriotism, Texas history, and the free enterprise system in the adoption of instructional materials for Kindergarten-Grade 12, including the founding documents of the United States.

TEC, §28.002(h-1), requires the SBOE to adopt essential knowledge and skills that develop each student's civic knowledge, including an understanding of the fundamental moral, political, and intellectual foundations of the American experiment in self-government; the history, qualities, traditions, and features of civic engagement in the United States; the structure, function, and processes of local, state, and federal, government institutions; and the founding documents of the United States.

TEC, §28.002(h-2), requires the SBOE to adopt essential knowledge and skills that develop each student's civic knowledge, including an understanding of the fundamental moral, political, entrepreneurial, and intellectual foundations of the American experiment in self-government; the history, qualities, traditions, and features of civic government in the United States; the structure, function, and processes of local, state, and federal, government institutions; and the founding documents of the United States; the ability to analyze and determine the reliability of information sources, formulate and articulate reasoned positions, understand the manner in which local, state, and federal governments work and operate through the use of simulations and models of governmental and democratic processes, actively listen and engage in civic discourse, and participate as a citizen in a constitutional democracy by voting; and an appreciation of the importance and responsibility of participating in civic life, a commitment to the United States and its form of government, and a commitment to free speech and civil discourse.

TEC, §28.025(a), requires the SBOE to determine by rule the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school graduation program that are consistent with the required curriculum under TEC, §28.002.

TEC, §28.025(b-1)(4), requires the SBOE to require by rule that students successfully complete three credits in social studies, including one credit in United States history, at least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in economics or personal financial literacy and economics, and one credit in world geography or world history.

The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: At the June and November 2021 SBOE meetings, the board discussed the review of the social studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Board members designated content advisors for the social studies TEKS review in August 2021. An application to serve on work groups was posted on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website in September 2021. Additionally, in September 2021, a survey was posted on the TEA website to ask for feedback on the current TEKS for social studies. TEA staff provided SBOE members applications for approval to serve on the social studies work groups in September, October, and November 2021 and January and April 2022. The content advisors convened to discuss consensus recommendations in December 2021 and January 2022. Work groups were convened to develop recommendations for the social studies TEKS in January, February, March, April, May, June, and July 2022.

At the August-September SBOE meeting, the board determined that it would not move forward with proposed new social studies standards. Instead, the board asked TEA staff to bring to the next SBOE meeting a draft of the current standards with proposed revisions only to address requirements of Senate Bill 3, 87th Texas Legislature, Second Called Session, 2021, that are not currently addressed in the TEKS.

Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, and Subchapter C, High School, is presented for first reading and filing authorization as a separate item in this agenda.

Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support