January 29, 2025 Committee of the Full Board Item 3
Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum
(Second Reading and Final Adoption)
January 31, 2025
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item presents for second reading and final adoption a proposed amendment to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum. The proposed amendment would update the list of high school courses for science that are required to be offered to students. No changes are recommended since approved for first reading.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002(a), and 28.025(b-1).
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, §28.025(b-1), requires the SBOE to determine by rule specific courses for graduation under the foundation high school program.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the proposed amendment is 20 days after filing as adopted with the Texas Register. Under TEC, §7.102(f), the SBOE must approve the rule action at second reading and final adoption by a vote of two-thirds of its members to specify an effective date earlier than the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. The earlier effective date will enable districts to begin preparing for implementation of the revised curriculum requirements.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter A, effective September 1, 1996. Section 74.3 was last amended effective August 1, 2022. A discussion item regarding the proposed amendment to §74.3 was presented to the Committee of the Full Board at the September 2024 SBOE meeting. At the November 2024 meeting, the SBOE approved the proposed amendment to §74.3 for first reading and filing authorization.
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. In late 2019, the SBOE began the process to review and revise the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Kindergarten-Grade 12 science. In November 2020, the SBOE approved for second reading and final adoption revised TEKS for four high school science courses: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC). At the June 2021 SBOE meeting, the board approved for second reading and final adoption new TEKS for Specialized Topics in Science and revised standards for Aquatic Science, Astronomy, Earth Science Systems (formerly titled Earth and Space Science), and Environmental Systems. The updated TEKS for high school science were implemented beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.
Additionally, career and technical education (CTE) TEKS review work groups were convened from March-July 2021 to develop recommendations for certain CTE courses that satisfy a science graduation requirement. Proposed new TEKS for certain CTE courses that may satisfy science graduation requirements were approved for second reading and final adoption by the SBOE at the April 2024 SBOE meeting.
The attachment to this item reflects the text of the proposed amendment to §74.3 for second reading and final adoption. The proposed amendment would align the required secondary curriculum in §74.3(b)(2)(C) with the updates to the secondary science course offerings made during recent TEKS revisions and add state-approved Advanced Placement (AP) science courses to the list of options from which districts must select two courses to offer in addition to Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and IPC.
FISCAL IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
TEA has determined that for the first five years the proposal is in effect, there are no additional costs to state or local government, including school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, required to comply with the proposal.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal has no effect on local economy; therefore, no local employment impact statement is required under Texas Government Code, §2001.022.
SMALL BUSINESS, MICROBUSINESS, AND RURAL COMMUNITY IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal has no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses, microbusinesses, or rural communities; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required.
COST INCREASE TO REGULATED PERSONS: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal does not impose a cost on regulated persons, another state agency, a special district, or a local government and, therefore, is not subject to Texas Government Code, §2001.0045.
TAKINGS IMPACT ASSESSMENT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal does not impose a burden on private real property and, therefore, does not constitute a taking under Texas Government Code, §2007.043.
GOVERNMENT GROWTH IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
TEA staff prepared a Government Growth Impact Statement assessment for this proposed rulemaking. During the first five years the proposed rulemaking would be in effect, it would expand an existing regulation by updating the list of high school courses for science that are required to be offered to students.
The proposed rulemaking would not create or eliminate a government program; would not require the creation of new employee positions or elimination of existing employee positions; would not require an increase or decrease in future legislative appropriations to the agency; would not require an increase or decrease in fees paid to the agency; would not create a new regulation; would not limit or repeal an existing regulation; would not increase or decrease the number of individuals subject to its applicability; and would not positively or adversely affect the state's economy.
PUBLIC BENEFIT AND COST TO PERSONS: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal would ensure the course titles in the required curriculum align with titles in the TEKS and would add additional course options to students to support relevant and meaningful curriculum. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposal.
DATA AND REPORTING IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal would have no data or reporting impact.
PRINCIPAL AND CLASSROOM TEACHER PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
TEA has determined that the proposal would not require a written report or other paperwork to be completed by a principal or classroom teacher.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: Following the November 2024 SBOE meeting, notice of the proposed amendment to §74.3 was filed with the Texas Register, initiating the public comment period. The public comment period began on December 20, 2024, and ended at 5:00 p.m. on January 21, 2025. No comments had been received at the time this item was prepared. A summary of public comments received will be provided to the SBOE prior to and during the January 2025 meeting. The SBOE will take registered oral and written comments on the proposal at the appropriate committee meeting in January 2025 in accordance with the SBOE board operating policies and procedures.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Approve for second reading and final adoption the proposed amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum; and
Make an affirmative finding that immediate adoption of the proposed amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum, is necessary and shall have an effective date of 20 days after filing with the Texas Register. (Per TEC, §7.102(f), a vote of two-thirds of the members of the board is necessary for an earlier effective date.)
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Jessica Snyder, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Attachment:
Text of Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum