Social Studies

Classroom with students touching a globe

This social studies web page provides clarification, guidance, and support to social studies stakeholders, including districts, schools, parents, educators, and students, for the development and implementation of the K–12 social studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

Announcements

October Social Studies Stakeholder Engagement Sessions

The social studies team at TEA is committed to enhancing opportunities for stakeholder engagement across the state of Texas. Social Studies Stakeholder Engagement Sessions allow the TEA social studies team to expand information sharing and interaction with stakeholders. 

October Topic: Social Studies Office Hours (For a detailed description of the topic, see the Stakeholder Engagement Sessions section of this web page below.)  

Dates & Times 
Registration Link  Monday, October 14 @ 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (CT) 
Registration Link — Tuesday, October 15 @ 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. (CT)

Celebrate Freedom Week

Each year, during the week that includes September 17, Texas schools honor Celebrate Freedom Week (TEC § 29.907) to highlight the values and ideals on which the United States was founded as well as the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the founding of the country. Students learn about the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.  Students also examine the relationship between the ideas in these documents and subsequent American history.

The TEA Celebrate Freedom Week web page provides links to resources for Celebrate Freedom Week and Constitution Day. 

Hispanic Heritage Month 

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans who trace their heritage to Latin America or Spain.  

The TEA  Hispanic Heritage Month web page provides instructional materials, activities, and lessons that can be used to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and to support instruction in Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies.  

Current Social Studies TEKS (Implemented in the 2024–2025 School Year)

The links below provide access to the web-based version of the social studies Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for the 2024–2025 school year. You can also access a PDF version of the TEKS.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) adopted revisions to the social studies TEKS that align with legislative requirements passed in the 87th Legislature.  The revisions updated the standards for kindergarten–8th grade and five high school courses.

For additional information about the social studies TEKS being implemented in the 2024–2025 school year, please visit the FAQ document via the link below.

 

Social Studies TEKS Resources

TEA has developed resources to support the implementation of the revised social studies standards.  The skills matrices provide a detailed look at the social studies skills strand by grade band (Kindergarten–Grade 5, Grades 6–8, Grades 9–12). Each grade level/course TEKS crosswalk provides a summary of the TEKS revisions and shows the differences between the 2018 TEKS and the 2022 TEKS being implemented in the 2024–2025 school year. You can access the skills matrices and crosswalks below.

Stakeholder Engagement Sessions

The social studies team at TEA is committed to enhancing opportunities for stakeholder engagement across the state of Texas. Social Studies Stakeholder Engagement Sessions allow the TEA social studies team to expand information sharing and interaction with stakeholders. All social studies stakeholders (parents, teachers, administrators, etc.) are invited to attend by registering below.

October Topic: Social Studies Office Hours 

Target Audience: Social Studies Stakeholders—Teachers, District Administrators, Campus Administrators, Education Service Center Specialists, Parents, Professional Organizations 

Session Description: The TEA social studies team in the Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division will be available for questions and discussion focused on social studies. This session will not have a formal TEA presentation and participants will be able to come and go as their schedule permits.

Dates & Times 
Monday, October 14 @ 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Central Registration Link for October 14 Session 
Tuesday, October 15 @ 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Central Registration Link for October 15 Session

Personal Financial Literacy and Economics

Personal Financial Literacy and Economics is a one-half credit high school course developed in response to Senate Bill (SB) 1063 and Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.025(b-22). Students may successfully complete either this new course or the Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits course to satisfy the half-credit economics requirement for high school graduation. Both economics courses are part of the required secondary curriculum.  

The requirement to offer both Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits and Personal Financial Literacy and Economics may be reduced to one by the commissioner of education upon application of a school district with a total high school enrollment of less than 500 students. Districts should complete the Request for Reduction in Required Curriculum Course Offerings form and return the form to the Curriculum Help Desk.

Recent Social Studies Communications

The following recent newsletters and engagement session presentations have been shared by the TEA social studies team with stakeholders.

Additional Social Studies Resources

  • Each year, during the week that includes September 17, Texas schools honor Celebrate Freedom Week (TEC § 29.907) to highlight the values and ideals on which the United States was founded as well as the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the founding of the country. Students learn about the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.  Students also examine the relationship between the ideas in these documents and subsequent American history.
     
  • Celebrate Freedom Week
  • Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans who trace their heritage to Latin America or Spain. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. The following websites provide instructional materials, activities, and lessons that can be used to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and to support instruction in Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies
     
  • Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Each year, during February, we celebrate the history and cultural contributions of Black Americans in the United States. Students learn about the achievements, perspectives, struggles, and experiences of Black Americans throughout more than 400 years of American history. The following websites provide a variety of lessons, activities, and instructional materials that can be used to honor Black History Month and to support instruction in Ethnic Studies: African American Studies and other social studies courses throughout the year. 
     
  • Black History Month
  • SB 1828 was passed in 2019 in acknowledgment of the Holocaust’s ongoing significance. SB 1828 instructs the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission (THGAAC) to develop or approve materials for public schools for a statewide Holocaust Remembrance Week. Counseled by the Commission, the Governor’s Office selected the week of January 27th as the date for Remembrance Week. (International Holocaust Remembrance Day is January 27, which is the date that Auschwitz was “liberated” by Allied troops.)
     
  • Holocaust Remembrance Week

The effects of the recent acts of war carried out against the State of Israel and its people by the terrorist organization Hamas are being felt all over the world and in Texas. As details of the attacks on Israel and violence in the region are shared daily by news outlets and on social media, it is important to help our students learn about the roots of the conflict and how to report incidents of hate speech and/or acts of violence. For optional resources to support lessons and conversations with students about the current conflict, please visit the TEA announcement for Educational Resources on Israeli Conflict for Texas Students. Parents and educators should determine which resources, if any, best fit the needs of their families and community.

Contact Information

Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division
(512) 463-9581

For questions or additional information, please submit a Curriculum Request Form through the TEA Help Desk.

TEA Help Desk

 

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Social Studies and Reading Language Arts Team

Jim Doris
Social Studies/Reading Language Arts Director

Jenny Gaona
Social Studies Content Specialist

Tim Bryant
K-8 Reading Language Arts and Social Studies Content Specialist

Guiomar Andújar
Spanish Content Specialist

Tamara Robert
Reading Language Arts Content Specialist