Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§115.2-115.7, and Subchapter B,
Middle School, §115.22 and §115.23
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
February 1, 2013
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§115.2-115.7, and Subchapter B, Middle School, §115.22 and §115.23. The proposed amendments would add student expectations for bullying prevention to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Health Education as required by House Bill (HB) 1942, 82nd Texas Legislature, 2011.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.102(c)(4) and §28.002(s).
EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§115.2-115.7, and Subchapter B, Middle School, §115.22 and §115.23 is August 26, 2013.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The State Board of Education (SBOE) adopted the TEKS for health education effective September 1, 1998. A discussion item regarding the proposed amendments to the health TEKS was presented to the Committee on Instruction at the November 2012 meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The 82nd Texas Legislature, 2011, passed HB 1942, amending the TEC, §28.002, to define bullying and harassment. Under the TEC, §28.002, as amended, the SBOE shall adopt TEKS for the health curriculum, in consultation with the Texas School Safety Center, that include evidence-based practices that will effectively address awareness, prevention, identification, self-defense in response to, and resolution of and intervention in bullying and harassment. The agency has worked with the Texas School Safety Center to provide recommendations for amendments to the health TEKS in Kindergarten-Grade 8 to address bullying behavior, including the addition of a specific bullying prevention strand for Grades 4-8.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Texas Education Agency has determined that there are no additional costs to persons or entities required to comply with the proposed amendments. In addition, there is no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses and microbusinesses; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis, specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: The proposed amendments would give students access to additional information regarding the prevention of bullying through health education classes.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: The proposed amendments would have no procedural and reporting requirements.
LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: The proposed revisions would have no locally maintained paperwork requirements.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: The official public comment period will begin when the amendments are published as proposed in the Texas Register.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: 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.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Approve for first reading and filing authorization the proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§115.2-115.7, and Subchapter B, Middle School, §115.22 and §115.23.
Staff Members Responsible:
Anita Givens, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Programs
Monica Martinez, Managing Director
Curriculum
Attachments:
I. Statutory Citations (PDF, 144KB)
II. Text of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education, Subchapter A, Elementary, §§115.2-115.7 (PDF, 219KB)
III. Text of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education, Subchapter B, Middle School, §115.22 and §115.23 (PDF, 176KB)