November 20, 2024 Committee of the Full Board Item 4
Discussion of Proposed Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Middle School Advanced Mathematics
November 22, 2024
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to support middle school advanced mathematics programs designed to enable students to enroll in Algebra I in eighth grade and for the board to provide additional direction to the work group.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002(a) and (c), and 28.029.
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, §28.029, requires school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to develop an advanced mathematics program for middle school students that is designed to enable those students to enroll in Algebra I in Grade 8.
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 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 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 June 2024 SBOE meeting, the board approved moving forward with the establishment of TEKS for middle school advanced mathematics. At the September 2024 SBOE meeting, the SBOE provided direction to the middle school advanced mathematics TEKS work group.
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. 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. 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.
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.
At the April 2024 meeting, TEA staff shared an overview of upcoming interrelated needs for TEKS review and revision and instructional materials review and approval (IMRA) and identified two needs related to mathematics, including options for instructional materials for accelerated learning and establishing TEKS to support middle school advanced mathematics pathways. At the June 2024 meeting, the board approved moving forward with the establishment of TEKS for middle school advanced mathematics and inclusion of advanced mathematics in a future IMRA process.
Applications to serve on the middle school advanced mathematics TEKS work group were collected by TEA in July and August 2024. TEA provided SBOE members with the applications for approval to serve on the work group in late August.
At the September 2024 SBOE meeting, the board directed the work group to present two models for middle school advanced mathematics TEKS. One model must be based on the importance of keeping the Grade 6 TEKS similar to the current TEKS and would combine the Grades 7 and 8 TEKS into Grade 7. The SBOE gave the work group leeway to analyze models from Barbers Hill Independent School District (ISD), Tomball ISD, and other school districts to develop recommendations for the second model. Additionally, the SBOE directed the work group to recommend one of the two models for the SBOE's further consideration. Work groups convened for two face-to-face meetings to develop recommendations for the proposed TEKS for middle school advanced mathematics in October.
This item provides an opportunity for the board to provide additional direction to the work group on proposed models for middle school advanced mathematics.
A public hearing item regarding proposed TEKS for middle school advanced mathematics is presented for discussion as a separate item in this agenda.
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Jessica Snyder, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Separate Exhibit:
Text of Proposed Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Middle School Advanced Mathematics
(to be provided in advance of the November 2024 SBOE meeting)