November 2019 Committee of the Full Board Item 8
Discussion of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements
November 13, 2019
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides an opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed amendments to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements, to update the rules to align with the requirements of House Bill (HB) 678, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, and revisions to career and technical education (CTE) programs of study.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4); 28.002(a) and (c); and 28.025(a) and (c-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, §28.002(c), requires the SBOE to by rule identify 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.
TEC, §28.025(a), requires the SBOE to by rule determine the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school graduation program that are consistent with the required curriculum under TEC, §28.002.
TEC, §28.025(c-1), permits a student to earn an endorsement on the student's transcript by successfully completing curriculum requirements for that endorsement adopted by the SBOE by rule. The SBOE is required to by rule provide students with multiple options for earning each endorsement, including, to the greatest extent possible, coherent sequences of courses.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: Proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74 will be presented for first reading and filing authorization at the January 2020 SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: The 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, passed HB 5, amending the TEC, §28.025, to transition from three high school graduation programs to one foundation high school program with endorsement options to increase flexibility for students. HB 5 gave the SBOE the authority to identify advanced courses related to the new graduation program, identify the curriculum requirements for the endorsements, and determine the requirements for performance acknowledgments related to the new graduation program.
Senate Bill (SB) 671, 85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, added TEC, §28.025(b-21), to require the SBOE to adopt criteria to allow a student to comply with the curriculum requirement for one credit in a language other than English by successfully completing a dual language immersion program at an elementary school. The SBOE adopted an amendment to 19 TAC §74.12 effective August 1, 2019, to address this requirement. The 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, passed HB 678, which amended TEC, §28.025(b-21), requiring the SBOE to adopt criteria to allow elementary school students to earn one high school credit toward the languages other than English (LOTE) graduation requirement by successfully completing a course in American Sign Language. The proposed amendment to §74.12, Foundation High School Program, would add language to allow students who complete a course in American Sign Language to earn one high school credit toward the LOTE graduation requirement.
The proposed amendment to §74.12 would also clarify the requirement for demonstrating academic competence in order to earn LOTE credit through participation in a dual language immersion program.
In 2015, the SBOE adopted new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for CTE, which were implemented beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. The SBOE adopted the technology applications TEKS effective September 1, 1998. In April 2011, the SBOE adopted revisions to the technology applications TEKS effective September 26, 2011. The 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, passed HB 963, which requires the SBOE, not later than March 1, 2020, to conduct a review of the TEKS for CTE and technology applications courses for Grades 9-12 and amend the board's rules to consolidate courses and eliminate duplicative courses. Texas is redesigning state-level programs of study to include coherent and rigorous content with challenging academic standards and relevant career and technical content. Programs of study will be aligned with state and regional labor market information, including high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand occupations. The proposed amendments would update the graduation requirements in Chapter 74, Subchapter B, to align with proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 126 and Chapter 130 that would consolidate technology applications and CTE courses and align with revised CTE programs of study.
This item provides an opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter B.
Proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 126, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, and Chapter 130, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education, are included as a separate item in this agenda.
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Support Services
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Heather Justice, Division Director, College Career and Military Preparation
Attachment: Text of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements