Skip to main content

September 2018 Committee of the Full Board Wednesday Item 4

Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, and Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)


September 14, 2018

COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION


SUMMARY: This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, Subchapter C, High School, and Subchapter D, Other Social Studies Courses, and proposed repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, Subchapter A, High School, and Subchapter B, Other Economics Courses. The proposed revisions would streamline the social studies standards.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.

TEC, §7.102(c)(4), requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to establish curriculum and graduation requirements.

TEC, §28.002, identifies the subjects of the required curriculum and 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, 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 the TEC, §28.002.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the proposed revisions and repeals is August 26, 2019.

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for social studies effective September 1, 1998. Amendments to the social studies TEKS were last adopted effective August 23, 2010. At the June 2017 meeting, the SBOE approved the proposed TEKS and instructional materials review and adoption schedule and the revised TEKS review process to be used beginning with the streamlining of the social studies TEKS. A discussion item regarding proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Subchapters A-D, and Chapter 118, Subchapters A and B, was presented to the Committee of the Full Board at the June 2018 meeting.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: In accordance with statutory requirements that the SBOE by rule identify the essential knowledge and skills of each subject in the required curriculum, the SBOE follows a board-approved cycle to review and revise the essential knowledge and skills for each subject.

At the June 2017 work session, the Committee of the Full Board indicated its intention to complete a streamlining of the social studies TEKS, with the latitude to make minor revisions to the standards if the revisions would not impact currently adopted instructional materials. The SBOE began the streamlining of the social studies TEKS in 2018. Applications to serve on TEKS streamlining work groups for social studies were posted on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website in July 2017. Also in July 2017, TEA distributed a survey to collect information from educators regarding the streamlining of the social studies TEKS.

Initial applications for social studies TEKS streamlining work groups were provided to SBOE members for approval in September, October, November, and December 2017 and in January, March, April, and June 2018. TEA will continue collecting applications throughout the TEKS streamlining process and will provide to the SBOE at regular intervals any new applications received.

At the January-February 2018 SBOE meeting, the board asked staff to provide to the work groups a crosswalk that has been developed between the current social studies TEKS and civics questions on the U.S. naturalization test. The board directed the work groups to avoid recommending deletion of information represented in the crosswalk.

In February 2018, Work Group A, the first social studies TEKS streamlining work group, convened in Austin to review survey results and feedback on the scope of the TEKS collected from focus groups convened by education service centers (ESCs). Work Group B was convened in March 2018 to review historical figures in the social studies TEKS. Work Group C was convened in April 2018 to make recommendations for streamlining the history and geography strands. In late May and early June 2018, Work Group D was convened to make recommendations for streamlining the geography; economics; government; citizenship; culture; science, technology, and society; and social studies skills strands. In August 2018, Work Group E was convened to make final recommendations for all strands and to ensure vertical alignment across all grade levels and courses.

In 2011, Senate Bill 6, 82nd Texas Legislature, First Called Session, amended the required curriculum to include economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits, as part of the subjects that constitute social studies rather than as a separate subject area. As a result of this change, it is recommended that the TEKS for economics be moved to 19 TAC Chapter 113 at the time the social studies TEKS are streamlined. The text of proposed new §113.31 reflects the addition of Economics into Chapter 113 and revisions recommended by work groups to the Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits high school course. Additionally, proposed new 19 TAC Chapter 113, Subchapter D, §§113.71, 113.72, 113.73, 113.74, 113.75, 113.76, and 113.77, reflect the move of other economics courses from Chapter 118, Subchapter B.

The text of proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Subchapters A-D, and the repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 118, Subchapters A and B, for consideration by the SBOE for first reading and filing authorization will be provided as a separate exhibit at the September 2018 meeting.

FISCAL IMPACT: TEA has determined that there are no additional costs to persons required to comply with the proposed revisions.

The proposed revisions would have fiscal implications for state government. For fiscal year 2018, the estimated cost to the TEA to reimburse committee members for travel to review and streamline the social studies TEKS is $105,000. There would also be implications for the TEA if the state creates professional development to help teachers and administrators understand the streamlined TEKS. Any professional development that is created would be based on whether the TEA receives an appropriation for professional development in the next biennium.

The proposed revisions may have fiscal implications for school districts and charter schools to implement the streamlined TEKS. The costs may include the need for professional development and revisions to district-developed databases, curriculum, and scope and sequence documents. Since curriculum and instruction decisions are made at the local district level, it is difficult to estimate the fiscal impact on any given district.

The TEA has determined that there is no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses, microbusinesses, and rural communities; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required. There is no effect on local economy; therefore, no local employment impact statement is required under Texas Government Code, §2001.022. The proposed revisions do not impose a cost on regulated persons, another state agency, a special district, or a local government and, therefore, are not subject to Texas Government Code, §2001.0045.

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 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, limit, 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 AND STUDENT BENEFIT: The proposed revisions and repeals would better align the TEKS and streamline the standards to ensure they can be reasonably taught within the amount of time typically allotted for the subject or course.

PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: The proposed revisions and repeals would have no new procedural and reporting requirements.

LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: The proposed revisions and repeals would have no new locally maintained paperwork requirements.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: The public comment period will begin when the proposal, approved for first reading and filing authorization by the SBOE, is published in the Texas Register.

ALTERNATIVES: None.

OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: A public hearing on proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, and proposed repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, is presented as a separate item in this agenda.

MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:

Approve for first reading and filing authorization proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, Subchapter C, High School, and Subchapter D, Other Social Studies Courses, and proposed repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, Subchapter A, High School, and Subchapter B, Other Economics Courses.

Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Support Services

Shelly Ramos, Senior Director
Curriculum Standards and Student Support

Attachment:   Statutory Citations

Separate Exhibit:
Text of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, Subchapter C, High School, and Subchapter D, Other Social Studies Courses, and Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, Subchapter A, High School, and Subchapter B, Other Economics Courses
(to be provided at the September 2018 SBOE meeting)