June 2024 Committee on Instruction Item 6
Consideration of Proposed New Innovative Course and Extensions of Currently Approved Innovative Courses
June 28, 2024
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: CONSENT
SUMMARY: This item presents for consideration an application for a proposed new innovative course, Gaming Concepts: Fundamentals, as well as the extension of approvals for 24 currently approved innovative courses that are part of career and technical education (CTE) programs of study.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.002(f).
TEC, §28.002(f), authorizes local school districts to offer courses in addition to those in the required curriculum for local credit and requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to be flexible in approving a course for credit for high school graduation.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted 19 TAC §74.27, Innovative Courses and Programs, to be effective September 1, 1996, with amendments to be effective September 1, 1998, and December 25, 2007. In November 2019, the SBOE adopted additional amendments to 19 TAC §74.27 to be effective December 25, 2019. In November 2022, the SBOE again adopted amendments to 19 TAC §74.27 to be effective February 26, 2023. In November 2023, the SBOE adopted amendments effective February 18, 2024.
From May 1998 through July 2003, the SBOE approved a total of 45 new innovative courses that do not fall within any of the subject areas of the foundation or enrichment curriculum through the annual approval process. In May 2004, July 2007, July 2009, January 2011, January 2012, January 2013, and July 2014 the SBOE approved the renewal of innovative courses in addition to approving new courses. In April 2005, April 2006, May 2008, May 2010, and April 2014 the SBOE approved renewal of innovative courses. In July 2010, the SBOE approved one new course. In April 2015, the SBOE approved for a period of five years three expiring course series submitted for renewal. In April 2016, the SBOE approved one new course for a period of three years and one new course for a one-year period. The SBOE approved for a period of five years each the renewal of three expiring innovative courses in November 2016. At the January-February 2017 meeting, the SBOE approved for renewal two expiring innovative courses for a period of five years, and at the April 2017 SBOE meeting, the SBOE approved for renewal three additional courses for a period of five years each. At the June 2017 SBOE meeting, the SBOE approved two new courses for a period of five years each. At the April 2018 SBOE meeting, the SBOE approved one new course for a period of five years. At the January-February 2019 SBOE meeting, the SBOE renewed one course for a period of three years and granted one course a one-year extension. At the April 2019 SBOE meeting, the board approved for renewal two courses for a period of three years and one course for a period of five years. At the June 2019 SBOE meeting, the board approved renewal of one course for a period of three years and one new course for a period of two years. The board approved renewal of eight innovative courses for a period of five years at the January 2020 SBOE meeting. At the June-July 2020 SBOE meeting, the SBOE renewed ten courses for a period of five years and granted one new course a two-year approval. In January 2021, the SBOE renewed one course for a period of five years. At the January 2022 SBOE meeting, the board approved renewal of one course for a period of three years and five courses for a period of five years. At the April 2022 SBOE meeting, the board approved renewal of six courses for a period of five years. At the June 2023 meeting, the SBOE approved one new innovative course for a period of two years.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: After the board adopted new rules concerning graduation requirements, the previously approved experimental courses were phased out as of August 31, 1998. Since the adoption of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), school districts and other entities have submitted new requests for approval of innovative courses that do not have TEKS and meet a demonstrated student need. The process originally outlined in §74.27 provided authority for the commissioner of education to approve discipline-based courses but reserved for SBOE review and approval those courses that did not fall within any of the subject areas of the foundation or enrichment curriculum. In November 2023, the SBOE amended §74.27 to shift from the commissioner of education to the SBOE the authority to approve innovative courses that fall under the foundation or enrichment curriculum. The amendments also specified the number of years for initial approval and renewal of innovative courses and provided an exemption from the pilot requirement for career and technical education courses that support an approved program of study.
Each year, school districts and other entities have the opportunity to submit applications for proposed innovative courses. Two applications for new innovative courses were received for implementation in the 2024-2025 school year. One application was withdrawn by the applicant. The course application for Gaming Concepts: Fundamentals is included as an attachment to this item. If approved, the recommended effective date for the new course would be August 1, 2024. With the approval of the local board of trustees, the courses would be available for school districts' use beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
New innovative courses are approved for a specified number of years before the applicant must resubmit for renewal. There are 24 currently approved innovative courses that are part of Texas Education Agency-designated CTE programs of study that are set to expire at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. These 24 courses are to be part of the SBOE’s TEKS review and revision process in the coming years. It is recommended that the committee approve an extension for each of courses for a period of five years to allow sufficient time for the courses to be adopted as TEKS-based courses. This extension will ensure that the courses continue to be available to students.
PUBLIC BENEFIT AND COST TO PERSONS: Students would have access to a new innovative course that meets local district needs and continue to have access to courses that are included as part of CTE programs of study.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Approve the innovative course Gaming Concepts: Fundamentals; and
Approve for a period of five years the extension of the courses included in the Innovative Course Descriptions for Courses Seeking Extensions list.
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Attachment I:
Text of 19 TAC §74.27, Innovative Courses and Programs
Attachment II:
Innovative Course Application: Gaming Concepts: Fundamentals
Attachment III:
Innovative Course Descriptions for Courses Seeking Extensions