April 9, 2024 Committee of the Full Board Item 5

Update on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Rubric Development Schedule

April 9, 2024

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

SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for staff to present an update on the review of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and for the committee to discuss the schedule for future review and revision of the TEKS and future Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA), including the development timeline for quality rubrics.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4); 28.002(a) and (c); 28.025(a); 31.022 and 31.023, as amended by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.

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

TEC, §31.022, as amended by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to review instructional materials that have been provided to the board by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) under TEC, §31.023.

TEC, §31.023, as amended by HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, requires the commissioner of education to establish, in consultation with and with the approval of the SBOE, a process for the annual review of instructional materials by TEA. In conducting a review under this section, TEA must use a rubric developed by TEA in consultation with and approved by the SBOE.

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

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted the TEKS for all subjects effective September 1, 1998. The English language arts and reading TEKS were amended effective September 4, 2008. The Spanish language arts and reading TEKS were amended effective November 26, 2008. The TEKS for high school English elective courses were amended effective August 23, 2010. The English and Spanish language arts and reading TEKS for Kindergarten-Grade 8 were amended effective September 25, 2017, and the English language arts and reading and English as a second language (ESL) TEKS for high school were amended effective November 12, 2017. The K-12 TEKS for English and Spanish language arts and reading were again amended effective August 1, 2019, to make technical adjustments to the standards. The mathematics TEKS were amended effective August 1, 2006. The secondary mathematics TEKS were amended effective February 22, 2009. The mathematics TEKS were again amended effective September 12, 2012. The science TEKS were amended effective August 4, 2009 and were amended again to streamline the science TEKS effective August 27, 2018. The social studies TEKS were amended effective August 23, 2010 and were amended again to streamline the social studies TEKS in 2018. The career and technical education (CTE) TEKS were amended effective August 23, 2010. The CTE TEKS were again amended effective August 28, 2017. The fine arts TEKS were amended effective August 24, 2015. The TEKS for languages other than English (LOTE) were amended effective July 15, 2014, and December 31, 2014. The technology applications TEKS were amended effective September 26, 2011. The health education TEKS and the physical education TEKS were amended to be effective August 1, 2022. The science TEKS were once again amended effective April 28, 2021, November 30, 2021, and April 26, 2022. The revised science TEKS are scheduled to be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year. The technology applications TEKS were amended effective August 7, 2022, and are also scheduled to be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year. At the November 2022 meeting, the SBOE approved proposed revisions to the social studies TEKS to align with requirements of Senate Bill 3, 87th Texas Legislature, Second Called Session, for implementation beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. In November 2023, the SBOE amended the TEKS for CTE career preparation and entrepreneurship courses to be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year.

At the June 2019 SBOE meeting, the board held a work session to discuss updating the TEKS and instructional materials review and adoption schedule. At the September 2019 meeting, the board approved the schedule through the 2030-2031 school year. The board held another work session to discuss updates to the TEKS and instructional materials review and adoption schedule at the January 2021 meeting. The board approved updates to the TEKS and instructional materials review and adoption schedule at the April 2021 meeting. At the April 2023 SBOE meeting, the board approved changes to the TEKS review process, including the addition of a process for selecting work group members.

At the January-February 2024 meeting, the SBOE approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed new TEKS for courses in the agribusiness, animal science, plant science, and aviation maintenance programs of study as well as two science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses that may satisfy science graduation requirements.

At its January-February 2024 meeting, the board adopted the IMRA process and procedures, as amended, in addition to the first set of quality rubrics.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: The board received training from a standards writing advisor at the July 2014 meeting. The standards writing advisor provided additional training to Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff in October 2014 to support future facilitation of the TEKS review committees.

In 2017, the SBOE significantly revised the process for the review and revision of the TEKS. The 2017 TEKS review process was used for the streamlining of the social studies TEKS. At the November 2018 meeting, the SBOE approved updates to the 2017 TEKS review and revision process to better clarify the process. The updated process was used for the review of the physical education, health education, and science TEKS.

At the January 2021 meeting, the board held a work session to discuss the timeline for the TEKS review and revision process and associated activities, including updates to State Board for Educator Certification teacher assignment rules and certification exams, adoption of instructional materials, and the completion of the Texas Resource Review. TEA provided an overview of CTE programs of study and a skills gap analysis to inform the review and revision of the CTE TEKS. The board discussed potential adjustments to the TEKS and Instructional Materials Review and Adoption Schedule. At the April 2021 meeting, the SBOE approved revisions to the TEKS and Instructional Materials Review and Adoption Schedule.

In early 2019, the SBOE began the review of the ELPS in accordance with the SBOE's approved TEKS and instructional materials review schedule. Applications to serve on ELPS review work groups were posted on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website in December 2018. Work groups were convened in March, May, August, September, and October 2019. In September 2019, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) indicated that Texas only partially met the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act. In response to feedback from the work group members and feedback from the USDE, TEA staff convened a panel of experts in second language acquisition from Texas institutions of higher education to complete an analysis of the work group recommendations and current research on English language acquisition. Based on the panel's findings and direction from the SBOE, TEA executed personal services contracts with the panel members and a representative of an education service center to prepare a draft of revisions to the ELPS. Text of the draft ELPS completed by the expert panel was presented to the SBOE at the June 2023 meeting.

At the November 2022 SBOE meeting, the board approved a CTE TEKS review process that mirrors the process for other subjects, but accounts for factors unique to CTE. In February 2023, TEA posted an application for work group members to develop recommendations for revisions to the TEKS for courses in the agribusiness, animal science, plant science, and aviation maintenance programs of study as well as two science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses that may satisfy science graduation requirements, Principles of Technology and Scientific Research and Design. TEA provided SBOE members with applications received in February, March, and April 2023. The approvals were due to TEA staff on March 3, March 24, April 14, and May 5. At the April 2023 SBOE meeting, the board approved advisory group members to review and comment on the proposed draft recommendations for selected courses in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources career cluster.

Additionally at the April 2023 SBOE meeting, the board discussed and approved changes to the TEKS review process, including approving a process for selecting work group members. The changes are being implemented beginning with the engineering TEKS review process.

At the November 2023 meeting, the SBOE indicated that it would begin work on new TEKS for the new engineering CTE career cluster. In December 2023, TEA posted an application for individuals interested in serving on an engineering TEKS review work group. The first set of completed applications was sent to SBOE members on February 6, 2024, and a second set of applications was sent out on March 1, 2024.

At the January-February 2024 meeting, the board asked staff to provide an example of what a potential timeline would look like for review of the K-12 mathematics TEKS at the April meeting. This item provides the opportunity for staff to present an update on the review of the TEKS and for the committee to discuss the schedule for future review and revision of the TEKS including mathematics and future IMRA.

TEC, Chapter 31, addresses instructional materials in public education and permits the SBOE to adopt rules for the adoption, requisition, distribution, care, use, and disposal of instructional materials. HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, significantly revised Chapter 31, including several provisions under SBOE authority.

At the June 2023 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board held a work session to receive an overview presentation on HB 1605 from the commissioner of education and to begin discussing preliminary decisions and next steps. The June 2023 SBOE HB 1605 Work Session Presentation shared during the work session is available on the TEA website at June 2023 SBOE HB 1605 Work Session Slides. 

At the August-September 2023 meeting, the Committee of the Full Board discussed the IMRA process and discussed the approach to developing the quality rubric criteria and process. 

At the November 2023 and December 2023 meetings, the board discussed the proposed IMRA process and provided feedback to TEA staff.

At the November 2023 meeting, the board discussed criteria for the suitability and appropriateness of instructional materials for the subject and grade level for which the materials are designed to be used in the instructional materials review and approval process outlined in HB 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023. At the December 2023 meeting, the board approved the criteria. At the January-February 2024 meeting, the board approved adjustments to the suitability rubric to further clarify the manner in which suitability criteria will be applied as part of the IMRA process.

At the January-February 2024 meeting, the board approved a final set of quality rubrics for the inaugural IMRA review, approved a process document, and adopted administrative rules related to the new IMRA process.

Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Todd Davis, Associate Commissioner, Instructional Strategy
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Colin Dempsey, Director, District Operations, Technology, and Sustainability Supports Division