Update on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Review
January 21, 2011
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for staff to present an update on the review of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and for the committee to provide guidance regarding the TEKS review process.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The State Board of Education (SBOE) adopted the TEKS for all subjects to be effective September 1, 1998. The mathematics TEKS were amended to be effective August 1, 2006. The English language arts and reading TEKS were amended to be effective September 4, 2008. The Spanish language arts and reading TEKS were amended to be effective November 26, 2008. The secondary mathematics TEKS were amended to be effective February 22, 2009. The science TEKS were amended to be effective August 4, 2009. The career and technical education (CTE) TEKS were amended to be effective August 23, 2010. The social studies TEKS were amended to be effective August 23, 2010 for implementation beginning with the 2011-2012 school year.
The board took action at the May 2009 meeting to approve a revised process for review and revision of the TEKS, guidelines for the social studies TEKS review committees, and guidelines for the social studies expert reviewers. The board approved additional revisions to the process in November 2009. This process is to be used for the review and revision of the technology applications TEKS. The board took action at the March 2010 meeting to approve guidelines for the technology applications expert reviewers. The board took action at the July 2010 meeting to direct staff to invite one member of each technology applications TEKS review committee to present invited testimony to the Committee of the Full Board at its September 2010 meeting. The board also took action at the July 2010 meeting to direct staff to invite the expert reviewers for technology applications to present invited testimony to the Committee of the Full Board at the September 2010 meeting and to attend the October TEKS review committee meeting. The board heard from technology applications expert reviewers and TEKS review committee members at the September 2010 SBOE meeting. Proposed revisions to the technology applications TEKS were discussed at the November 2010 SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: On April 22, 2009, the Committee on Instruction held a work session to study the process for review of the TEKS, make recommendations to the full board regarding adjustments to the process approved by the SBOE in July 2008, and provide guidance to agency staff and social studies TEKS review committees regarding next steps in the review of the social studies TEKS. Information from the April Committee on Instruction meeting was discussed by the board at the May meeting.
The board took action at the May 2009 meeting to approve a revised process for review and revision of the TEKS, guidelines for the social studies TEKS review committees, and guidelines for the social studies expert reviewers.
The board approved revisions to the approved TEKS review process in November 2009. This process is being followed for the review and revision of the technology applications TEKS. The SBOE is scheduled to consider proposed revisions to the technology applications TEKS as a separate item in this agenda.
Applications for appointment to mathematics and fine arts TEKS review committees were accepted by the Texas Education Agency from October 2010 to early January 2011. Applications received prior to the November 2010 SBOE meeting were provided to SBOE members at the November meeting so that members could begin nominating individuals to serve on these committees. Applications received since the November 2010 SBOE meeting will be provided to SBOE members at the January 2011 meeting so that board members may complete the nominations.
FISCAL IMPACT: There will be normal business costs associated with this process for the agency, including staff and committee travel, meeting accommodations, and production and dissemination of documents.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: Benefits include better alignment of the TEKS and coordination of the standards with the adoption of instructional materials.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: Proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 126, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, Subchapter C, High School, and Subchapter D, Other Technology Applications Courses, are presented for first reading and filing authorization as a separate item in this agenda.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Scott
Commissioner of Education
Staff Members Responsible:
Anita Givens, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Programs
Norma Torres-Martinez, Deputy Associate Commissioner
Standards and Alignment
Monica Martinez, Managing Director
Curriculum
Attachment:
Statutory Citations