Study of Essential Knowledge and Skills and Assessment Instruments

April 8, 2016

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

SUMMARY: This item provides an opportunity for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to discuss a report submitted by Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff concerning the results of a study regarding the essential knowledge and skills of the required curriculum and related state assessment instruments and make recommendations to the Texas Legislature regarding each issue evaluated in the agency report.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §39.0236, as added by House Bill (HB) 743, 84th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2015.

TEC, §39.0236, requires TEA staff to conduct a study regarding the essential knowledge and skills of the required curriculum identified by the SBOE under TEC, §28.002 and assessment instruments administered under TEC, §39.023. TEC §39.0236 also requires the SBOE to review the study and submit to the governor and each member of the legislature the agency’s report and board recommendations regarding each issue in the report.

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted the TEKS for all subjects to be effective September 1, 1998. The mathematics TEKS were amended to be effective August 1, 2006 and September 12, 2012. The secondary mathematics TEKS were also amended to be effective February 22, 2009. 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 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 and high school English electives TEKS were amended to be effective August 23, 2010. The technology applications TEKS were amended to be effective September 26, 2011. In April 2012, the SBOE gave final approval to revisions to the mathematics TEKS. The mathematics TEKS for Kindergarten-Grade 8 were implemented beginning with the 2014-2015 school year and the TEKS for high school mathematics were implemented beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. The fine arts TEKS were amended to be effective August 24, 2015. In April 2014 and September 2014, the board gave final approval to revised TEKS for languages other than English (LOTE), which are scheduled to be implemented beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. In April 2015 and July 2015, the board approved for second reading and final adoption proposed revisions to the CTE TEKS. At the September 2015 meeting, the board approved for second reading and final adoption proposed new CTE TEKS for an Advanced Marketing course and second-level practicum and automotive technology courses. The revised CTE TEKS are scheduled to be implemented beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The board is currently in the process of reviewing and revising the English and Spanish language arts and reading TEKS. At the September 2015 meeting, the SBOE requested that staff update the TEKS and Instructional Materials working document to add streamlining of the science and social studies TEKS to the cycle for the review and revision of the TEKS. A discussion item on the process for streamlining the TEKS was presented to the Committee on Instruction at the November 2015 SBOE meeting. At the January 2016 meeting, the board approved the process to be used in streamlining the science and social studies TEKS. The SBOE is scheduled to begin the streamlining of the science TEKS in spring 2016 and streamlining of the social studies TEKS in spring 2017.

FISCAL IMPACT: Fiscal implications related to this item will be assessed after the SBOE completes discussion of the report.

PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: Benefits include better alignment and streamlining of the TEKS and the state assessments.

PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.

OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: None.

Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Programs

Criss Cloudt, Associate Commissioner
Assessment and Accountability

Gloria Zyskowski, Division Director
Student Assessment

Shelly Ramos, Division Director
Curriculum

Attachment:
Statutory Citations (PDF, 17KB)

Separate Exhibit:
Study of Essential Knowledge and Skills and Assessment Instruments