November 20, 2024 Committee of the Full Board Item 6
Discussion of Proposed New Career and Technical Education Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Engineering
November 20, 2024
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed new career and technical education (CTE) Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for engineering. The proposal would add new and update existing courses in the civil engineering, engineering foundations, and mechanical and aerospace design programs of study to ensure the content of the courses supports relevant and meaningful programs of study.
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 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, §28.002(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 determine by rule 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 identified 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 the winter 2023 review. The second review in the 2022-2025 CTE TEKS review cycle began in summer 2023. The complete CTE TEKS review process was used for the summer 2023 CTE TEKS review. The SBOE adopted new CTE TEKS for agribusiness, animal science, plant science, aviation maintenance, and STEM courses that may satisfy science graduation requirements at the April 2024 SBOE meeting.
Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff began a CTE TEKS review for engineering in December 2023. Applications to serve on the engineering 2024 CTE TEKS review work groups were collected by TEA from December 2023 through April 2024. TEA staff provided SBOE members with batches of applications for approval to serve on a CTE work group in February, March, and April 2024. Work groups were convened to develop recommendations for the CTE courses in May, June, July, and August 2024. The proposal would ensure the standards for engineering support relevant and meaningful programs of study. The attachments to this item reflect the text of the proposed new TEKS.
A public hearing regarding proposed revisions to the TEKS for courses in engineering is presented 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
Attachment I:
CTE TEKS Review Draft Recommendations, Engineering Foundations
Attachment II:
CTE TEKS Review Draft Recommendations, Civil Engineering
Attachment III:
CTE TEKS Review Draft Recommendations, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering