September 2025 Committee on Instruction Item 1
Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter C, Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52
(Second Reading and Final Adoption)
September 12, 2025
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: CONSENT
SUMMARY: This item presents for second reading and final adoption proposed amendments to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter C, Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52. The proposal would make a technical adjustment to the prerequisites for §127.49, Livestock and Poultry Production, to align with the career and technical education (CTE) programs of study; update cross references; and update language relating to employability skills to reference new 19 TAC §127.15. No changes are recommended since approved for first reading.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.102(c)(4) and §28.002(a) and (c).
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.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the links above.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the proposed amendments 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 2026-2027 school year. The earlier effective date will allow for technical adjustments to be made to course prerequisites for implementation in the 2025-2026 school year.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52 to be effective September 9, 2024. The SBOE approved proposed amendments to 19 TAC §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52 for first reading and filing authorization at the June 2025 SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: The federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, commonly referred to as Perkins V, requires states that receive federal CTE funds to align CTE programs of study to high-wage, in-demand, and high-skill occupations. In fall 2023, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) engaged members of the workforce, secondary education, and higher education to advise on the development and refresh of programs of study, which include coherent course sequences, industry-based certifications, and work-based learning opportunities to ensure students are prepared for high-wage, in-demand, and high-skill careers in Texas.
The proposed amendments would update language related to prerequisites and references to a course title to ensure alignment with refreshed programs of study. In addition, employability skills would be removed from the rules, and a reference to the universal employability skills in new §127.15 would be added.
Proposed amendments to 19 TAC §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52 were approved for first reading and filing authorization at the June 2025 meeting.
This item presents an opportunity for the SBOE to approve for second reading and final adoption the proposed amendments to update prerequisites in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for the three courses to ensure alignment with the refreshed programs of study and eliminate confusion.
FISCAL IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
TEA has determined that 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 and limit existing regulations by adjusting the options for prerequisites for some courses.
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 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 language related to prerequisites is accurate and aligned with the refreshed CTE programs of study. 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 June 2025 SBOE meeting, notice of the proposed amendments to 19 TAC §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52 was filed with the Texas Register, initiating the public comment period. The public comment began on August 1, 2025, and ended at 5:00 p.m. on September 2, 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 September 2025 meeting. The SBOE will take registered oral and written comments on the proposal at the appropriate committee meeting in September 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 proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter C, Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52; and
Make an affirmative finding that immediate adoption of the proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter C, Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52, 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 Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter C, Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, §§127.49, 127.51, and 127.52