April 2024 Committee on Instruction Item 4
Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§112.10-112.16; Subchapter B, Middle School, §§112.17-112.20; and Subchapter C, High School, §§112.31-112.39
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
April 12, 2024
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: CONSENT
SUMMARY: This item presents for first reading and filing authorization the proposed repeal of 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§112.10-112.16; Subchapter B, Middle School, §§112.17-112.20; and Subchapter C, High School, §§112.31-112.39. The proposed repeals would remove the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Kindergarten-Grade 12 science and related implementation language that will be superseded by 19 TAC §§112.1-112.7, 112.25-112.28, and 112.41-112.51 beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.102(c)(4) and §28.002(a) and (c).
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.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the proposed repeal is August 1, 2024. Under TEC, §7.102(f), the SBOE must approve the rule action at second reading and final adoption by a vote of two-thirds of its members to specify an effective date earlier than the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. The earlier effective date would remove the TEKS for Kindergarten-Grade 12 science and related implementation language that will be superseded by 19 TAC §§112.1-112.7, 112.25-112.28, and 112.41-112.51 beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE originally adopted the TEKS for science effective September 1, 1998. The SBOE adopted revisions to the science TEKS for high school effective August 4, 2009; August 27, 2018; April 28, 2021; November 30, 2021; and February 26, 2023. The SBOE adopted revisions to the science TEKS for elementary and middle school effective August 4, 2009; August 27, 2018; and April 26, 2022.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: In accordance with statutory requirements that the SBOE identify by rule the essential knowledge and skills of each subject in the required curriculum, the SBOE follows a board-approved cycle to review and revise the essential knowledge and skills for each subject. In late 2019, the SBOE began the process to review and revise the TEKS for Kindergarten-Grade 12 science. At the recommendation of Work Group A, the SBOE directed the work groups to follow a backward-by-design approach to the revisions to the Kindergarten-Grade 12 science TEKS. Consequently, work groups started first with recommendations for revisions to the high school science TEKS. In November 2020, the SBOE approved for second reading and final adoption revised TEKS for four high school science courses: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Integrated Physics and Chemistry. At the June 2021 SBOE meeting, the board approved for second reading and final adoption new TEKS for Specialized Topics in Science and revised standards for Aquatic Science, Astronomy, Earth Science Systems (formerly titled Earth and Space Science), and Environmental Systems. At the November 2021 SBOE meeting, the board approved for second reading and final adoption new science TEKS for Kindergarten-Grade 8 with an implementation date of the 2024-2025 school year. At the November 2022 SBOE meeting, the board approved for second reading and final adoption the proposed amendment to §112.41 to ensure implementation language for all science courses was consistent.
The proposed repeals would remove the TEKS for Kindergarten-Grade 12 science and related implementation language that will be superseded by 19 TAC §§112.1-112.7, 112.25-112.28, and 112.41-112.51 beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
Due to the volume of text proposed for repeal, the rule text is not included as an attachment in this agenda. However, the rules can be found on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website at https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-cod….
The proposed repeal was not presented as a discussion item. The SBOE, however, may wish to consider this item for first reading and filing authorization as authorized under its operating procedures. Therefore, this item is presented for first reading and filing authorization consideration at this meeting. It is recommended that the SBOE consider this item for first reading and filing authorization to ensure that the repeal can be implemented beginning with the 2024-2025 school year to avoid confusion.
FISCAL IMPACT: TEA has determined that there are no additional costs to state or local government, including school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, required to comply with the proposal.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT IMPACT: The proposal has no effect on local economy; therefore, no local employment impact statement is required under Texas Government Code, §2001.022.
SMALL BUSINESS, MICROBUSINESS, AND RURAL COMMUNITY IMPACT: The proposal has no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses, microbusinesses, or rural communities; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required.
COST INCREASE TO REGULATED PERSONS: The proposal does not impose a cost on regulated persons, another state agency, a special district, or a local government and, therefore, is not subject to Texas Government Code, §2001.0045.
TAKINGS IMPACT ASSESSMENT: The proposal does not impose a burden on private real property and, therefore, does not constitute a taking under Texas Government Code, §2007.043.
GOVERNMENT GROWTH IMPACT: TEA staff prepared a Government Growth Impact Statement assessment for this proposed rulemaking. During the first five years the proposed rulemaking would be in effect, it would repeal existing regulations by removing outdated science TEKS that will be superseded by a newly adopted set of TEKS.
The proposed rulemaking would not create or eliminate a government program; would not require the creation of new employee positions or elimination of existing employee positions; would not require an increase or decrease in future legislative appropriations to the agency; would not require an increase or decrease in fees paid to the agency; would not create a new regulation; would not expand or limit an existing regulation; would not increase or decrease the number of individuals subject to its applicability; and would not positively or adversely affect the state's economy.
PUBLIC BENEFIT AND COST TO PERSONS: The proposal would repeal the TEKS for Kindergarten-Grade 12 science and related implementation language that will be superseded by 19 TAC §§112.1-112.7, 112.25-112.28, and 112.41-112.51 beginning with the 2024-2025 school year to avoid confusion. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposal.
DATA AND REPORTING IMPACT: The proposal would have no data and reporting impact.
PRINCIPAL AND CLASSROOM TEACHER PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: TEA has determined that the proposal would not require a written report or other paperwork to be completed by a principal or classroom teacher.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: The public comment period on the proposal begins May 17, 2024, and ends at 5:00 p.m. on June 17, 2024. The SBOE will take registered oral and written comments on the proposal at the appropriate committee meeting in June 2024 in accordance with the SBOE board operating policies and procedures. A request for a public hearing on the proposal submitted under the Administrative Procedure Act must be received by the commissioner of education not more than 14 calendar days after notice of the proposal has been published in the Texas Register on May 17, 2024.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Suspend the board operating procedures in accordance with §5.2(a) to allow consideration at first reading and filing authorization; and
Approve for first reading and filing authorization the proposed repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§112.10-112.16; Subchapter B, Middle School, §§112.17-112.20; and Subchapter C, High School, §§112.31-112.39.
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support