January 31, 2024 Committee of the Full Board Item 3

Public Hearing on Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter C, Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, §§127.30, 127.45-127.58, 127.86, and 127.87; Subchapter O, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, §127.795 and §127.796; and Subchapter P, Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics, §§127.887-127.890 and 127.920

January 31, 2024

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 Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Testimony will be presented regarding proposed revisions to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (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. 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), and (j); and 28.025(a) and (b-2)(2).

TEC, §7.102(c)(4), requires the 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(j), allows the SBOE by rule to require laboratory instruction in secondary science courses and require a specific amount or percentage of time in a secondary science course that must be laboratory instruction.

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 TEC, §28.002.

TEC, §28.025(b-2)(2), requires the SBOE to allow a student by rule to comply with the curriculum requirements for the third and fourth mathematics credits under TEC, §28.025(b-1)(2), or the third and fourth science credits under TEC, §28.025(b-1)(3), by successfully completing a CTE course designated by the SBOE as containing substantially similar and rigorous content.

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

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.

During the November 2022 meeting, the SBOE approved a timeline for the review of CTE courses for 2022-2025. Also at the meeting, the SBOE approved a specific process to be used in the review and revision of the CTE TEKS. The CTE-specific process largely follows the process for TEKS review for other subject areas but was adjusted to account for differences specific to CTE. The 2022-2025 CTE cycle identifies two reviews, beginning with the winter 2023 review of a small group of courses in career preparation and entrepreneurship. An abbreviated version of the new CTE TEKS review process was used for this review. The second review began in summer 2023 and consisted of courses in the agribusiness, animal science, plant science, and aviation maintenance programs of study as well as two STEM courses that may satisfy a science high school graduation credit. The complete CTE TEKS review process was used for this second CTE TEKS review.

Applications to serve on the summer 2023 CTE TEKS review work groups were collected by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) from February through July 2023. TEA staff provided SBOE members with batches of applications for approval to serve on a CTE work group in April and May 2023. Work groups were convened to develop recommendations for the CTE courses in May, June, August, September, and December 2023.

The proposal would ensure the standards for agribusiness, animal science, plant science, aviation maintenance, and STEM courses that may satisfy science graduation requirements remain current and support relevant and meaningful programs of study.

Proposed new 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter C, Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, §§127.30, 127.45-127.58, 127.86, and 127.87; Subchapter O, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, §127.795 and §127.796; and Subchapter P, Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics, §§127.887-127.890 and 127.920, 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