Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, and Chapter 126, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, Concerning Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Courses
(Second Reading and Final Adoption)

April 13, 2018

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

SUMMARY: This item presents for second reading and final adoption proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Subchapter D, Other Science Courses, Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter D, Other Social Studies Courses, Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, Subchapter B, Other Economics Courses, and Chapter 126, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, Subchapter D, Other Technology Applications Courses. The proposed revisions would align the rules with current course offerings by the International Baccalaureate (IB) organization and update the amount of credit available for IB and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. No changes are recommended since approved for first reading.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4); 28.002; and 28.025, as amended by House Bill (HB) 3593 and Senate Bill (SB) 826, 85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017.

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 by rule to 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, as amended by HB 3593 and SB 826, 85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, requires the SBOE by rule to 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 to 19 TAC Chapter 112, Subchapter D; Chapter 113, Subchapter D; Chapter 118, Subchapter B; and Chapter 126, Subchapter D, is August 27, 2018.

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE originally adopted the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for IB courses in English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and economics effective September 1, 1998; IB social studies courses effective September 1, 2001; IB technology applications courses effective September 26, 2011; and IB languages other than English (LOTE) courses effective July 15, 2014. The IB mathematics TEKS were last amended effective October 10, 2012. IB History: Americas Higher Level and IB Geography Standard and Higher Levels were amended effective August 24, 2015. The TEKS for IB science courses were last revised effective August 24, 2015.

A discussion item regarding the addition of TEKS for new IB course was presented for discussion to the Committee on Instruction at the January-February 2017 meeting. At the June 2017 SBOE meeting, the Committee of the Full Board held a work session, which included a discussion of IB courses currently included in SBOE rule and proposed IB courses to be added to SBOE rule. A discussion item regarding IB courses was again presented at the September 2017 meeting to the Committee of the Full Board. At the November 2017 meeting, the SBOE approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed revisions to IB courses in 19 TAC Chapters 110, 111, 112, and 114 to align board rules with current course offerings by the IB organization and update the amount of credit available for IB courses. The SBOE approved proposed revisions to IB courses in 19 TAC Chapters 110, 111, 112, and 114 for second reading and final adoption at the January-February 2018 meeting. Also at the January-February 2018 meeting, the SBOE approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed revisions to AP and IB courses in
19 TAC Chapters 112, 113, 118, and 126 to align the rules with additional course offerings by the IB organization and update the amount of credit available for IB and AP courses.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: For students to earn state credit toward specific graduation requirements, a course must be approved by the SBOE and included in SBOE rule. At the September 2017 SBOE meeting, the committee discussed IB courses that are not currently included in SBOE rule and considerations regarding the appropriate amount of state credit that should be awarded for IB courses. At that time, the board requested that agency staff prepare rule text to address these issues and requested that staff balance the chapters that would be updated over two different meetings. At the November 2017 meeting, the SBOE was presented with proposed revisions to align the TEKS for English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and LOTE with current IB course offerings. At that meeting, the SBOE approved the proposed revisions to the English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and LOTE IB courses for first reading and filing authorization. At the January-February 2018 meeting, the SBOE approved proposed revisions for second reading and final adoption. The SBOE's approval included the addition of eight IB courses to SBOE rules and updates that increased the amount of credit available for 17 IB courses currently in rule.

At the January-February 2018 meeting, the SBOE approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed revisions to align the TEKS in science, social studies, economics, and technology applications with additional IB course offerings and update the amount of credit available for both IB and AP courses in these subject areas. The SBOE's approval included the addition of nine IB courses to SBOE rules and updates to the amount of credit available for eight AP and IB courses currently in rule.

Attachments II-V reflect the text of proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 112, Subchapter D; Chapter 113, Subchapter D; Chapter 118, Subchapter B; and Chapter 126, Subchapter D, for consideration by the SBOE for second reading and final adoption. No changes are recommended since approved for first reading.

FISCAL IMPACT : The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has determined that there are no additional costs to persons or entities required to comply with the proposed revisions. In addition, there is no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses, microbusinesses, or rural communities; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis, specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required. There is no effect on local economy for the first five years that the proposed revisions are in effect; 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 and, therefore, are not subject to Texas Government Code, §2001.0045.

GOVERNMENT GROWTH IMPACT : TEA staff has determined that the proposed revisions do not have a government growth impact pursuant to Texas Government Code, §2001.0221.

PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT : Benefits include the availability of additional IB courses to allow students more flexibility in meeting state requirements for graduation and consistency in the amount of credit available for AP and IB courses.

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

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

PUBLIC COMMENTS: Following the January-February 2018 SBOE meeting, notice of the proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapters 112, 113, 118, and 126 was filed with the Texas Register, initiating the public comment period. No comments had been received at the time this item was prepared. A summary of any public comments received regarding the proposal will be provided to the SBOE prior to and during the April 2018 meeting.

ALTERNATIVES: None.

OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: The following related proposals are presented as separate items in this agenda:

• Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter B, Graduation Requirements, are presented for second reading and final adoption.

• Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, and Chapter 111, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics, are presented for second reading and final adoption.

MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:

Approve for second reading and final adoption proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Subchapter D, Other Science Courses, Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter D, Other Social Studies Courses, Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, Subchapter B, Other Economics Courses, and Chapter 126, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, Subchapter D, Other Technology Applications Courses.

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

Shelly Ramos, Senior Director
Curriculum Standards and Student Support

Attachments:
I.  Statutory Citations (PDF, 53 KB)
II. Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 112, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science, Subchapter D, Other Science Courses, §112.81, International Baccalaureate (IB) Design Technology Standard Level (One Credit), and §112.82, International Baccalaureate (IB) Design Technology Higher Level (One Credit) (PDF, 42 KB)
 III. Text of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter D, Other Social Studies Courses
IV. Text of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 118, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, Subchapter B, Other Economics Courses
V.  Text of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 126, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications, Subchapter D, Other Technology Applications Courses