SBOE close to finishing K-8 Science TEKS, which will complete Science revisions for K-12

Austin, TX – November 29, 2021 - At the November 2021 meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) completed final amendments to the new K-8 Science TEKS. The process of amending the Science TEKS began in early 2020 with high school courses, and now has moved to the early grades. The SBOE will meet again on December 1, 2021, to formalize the vote at second reading for final adoption of the standards. 

After many hours of testimony, the board approved instructional materials from Goodheart-Willcox for Grades 6-12 health education and for one high school course in physical education. The instructional materials will be introduced to classrooms in the 2022-23 school year, during which time the new Health TEKS are to be implemented. 

The board approved proposed new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Education and Training; Health Science; Hospitality and Tourism; Law and Public Service; and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The new career and technical education (CTE) standards better support the CTE programs of study.

The board also approved a required school safety training curriculum for district trustees. House Bill 690, which passed during the Regular Session of the 87th Texas Legislature (2021), mandated that the SBOE require a district trustee to complete training on school safety. The Texas School Safety Center, in coordination with the SBOE, developed the curriculum and materials for the training.

The board adopted the initial Certificate of Formation for the Texas Permanent School Fund (PSF) Corporation as allowed by Senate Bill 1232, which was passed by the 87th Legislature. This action creates the Texas PSF Corporation, which will merge the SBOE and School Land Board portions of the fund into a fund focusing on its one beneficiary, the public school students of Texas. 

As a highlight of the meeting, SBOE members and the public were graced with an in-person student performance by the Grapevine-Colleyville Combined High School Choir of Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District (GCISD) in SBOE District 11. The choir performed under the direction of Ms. Pauline Sexton, Director of Choirs, Grapevine High School, and Ms. Kimberly McConnell, Director of Choirs, Colleyville High School. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this in-person student performance before the SBOE was the first in nearly two years.

The board also recognized Mr. Eric Hale (Dallas ISD), the 2021 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year and Texas Teacher of the Year, and Mr. Anthony Lopez-Waste (Canutillo ISD), the 2021 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year.

Also, during the meeting, the official portrait of former Texas Education Commissioner Michael L. Williams (2012- 2015) was unveiled. His portrait will be permanently displayed in the SBOE meeting room alongside other former education commissioners dating back as far as 1960.

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