January 27, 2026 Committee of the Full Board Item 1
Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
January 30, 2026
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item presents for first reading and filing authorization 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 personal financial literacy and economics that are required to be offered to students to align with the requirements of House Bill (HB) 27, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025.
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 links above.
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 2026-2027 school year. The earlier effective date will enable districts to begin preparing for implementation of the revised course offering 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, 2025. A discussion item regarding a proposed amendment to §74.3 was presented to the Committee of the Full Board at the November 2025 SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: In accordance with statutory requirements that the SBOE establish curriculum and graduation requirements, the SBOE has identified high school courses that school districts must offer. For social studies, §74.3 requires school districts to offer United States History Studies Since 1877, World History Studies, United States Government, World Geography Studies, Personal Financial Literacy, Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, and Personal Financial Literacy and Economics.
The 89th Texas Legislature passed HB 27 in 2025, requiring students to successfully complete a one-half credit personal financial literacy course instead of the option to complete either a one-half credit economics course or a one-half credit course in economics and personal financial literacy to satisfy the economics requirement under the Foundation High School Program. The bill changed the current one-half credit economics course to a one-credit course and permits students to select the third social studies credit required for graduation from economics, world geography, or world history. The bill also added new TEC, §28.025(b-24), requiring the SBOE to allow a student to comply with the personal financial literacy requirement by successfully completing an advanced placement course.
The attachment to this item reflects the text of a proposed amendment to §74.3 for consideration by the SBOE for first reading and filing authorization. The proposed amendment would update the required secondary social studies course offerings in §74.3 to align with requirements of HB 27.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Texas Education Agency (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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 limit an existing regulation by eliminating a course from the list of high school courses for social studies 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 expand 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: The proposal would ensure the course titles in the required curriculum align with titles in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposal.
DATA AND REPORTING IMPACT: The proposal would have no data and reporting impact.
PRINCIPAL AND CLASSROOM TEACHER PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: 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: The public comment period on the proposal begins February 27, 2026, and ends at 5:00 p.m. on March 30, 2026. The SBOE will take registered oral and written comments on the proposal at the appropriate committee meeting in April 2026 in accordance with the SBOE board operating policies and procedures. A request for a public hearing on the proposal submitted under the Administrative Procedure Act must be received by the commissioner of education not more than 14 calendar days after notice of the proposal has been published in the Texas Register on February 27, 2026.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Approve for first reading and filing authorization the proposed amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum.
Staff Member Responsible:
Jessica Snyder, Senior Division 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