November 2018 Committee of the Full Board Wednesday Item 7
Discussion of Proposed New Cybersecurity Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
November 14, 2018
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for cybersecurity courses as required by House Bill (HB) 3593, 85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017.
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, §28.002(f)(2), requires the SBOE to approve courses in cybersecurity for credit for high school graduation.
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.
TEC, §28.025(c-1)(1), establishes that an endorsement may be earned in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which includes courses related to science, including environmental science; technology, including computer science, cybersecurity, and computer coding; engineering; and advanced mathematics.
TEC, §28.025(c-10), requires the SBOE to adopt or select five technology applications courses on cybersecurity to be included in a cybersecurity pathway for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics endorsement.
BOARD RESPONSE: This item is presented for review and comment.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: 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.
FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: At the direction of the committee, new courses in cybersecurity could be presented for first reading and filing authorization at the next scheduled SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The 85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, passed HB 3593, adding TEC, §28.002(f)(2), to require that the SBOE approve courses in cybersecurity for credit for high school graduation. HB 3593 amended TEC, §28.025(c-1)(1), to add cybersecurity and computer coding to the courses to be included in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) endorsement. HB 3593 also added TEC, §28.025(c)(10), to require that the SBOE adopt or select five technology applications courses on cybersecurity to be included in a cybersecurity pathway for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) endorsement.
In spring 2015, a new Principles in Cybersecurity innovative course was approved by the commissioner of education for use beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools may offer any state-approved innovative course for elective credit with the approval of the local board of trustees.
In August 2018, a committee of secondary and postsecondary educators and business and industry representatives were selected to develop recommended TEKS for new cybersecurity courses for the pathway. The committee convened for the first face-to-face meeting in Austin in September 2018 to begin working on recommendations for a TEKS-based foundational course in cybersecurity based on the Principles in Cybersecurity innovative course. The committee participated in an additional face-to-face meeting in October 2018 to develop recommendations for a second cybersecurity course that would serve as a capstone for the cybersecurity pathway. This item provides the opportunity for the Committee of the Full Board to discuss the initial recommendations for the two proposed new cybersecurity courses, which will be provided to the Committee of the Full Board as a separate exhibit during the SBOE meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT: There will be normal business costs associated with this process for the agency, including committee travel, meeting accommodations, and production and dissemination of documents. Fiscal implications will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding a proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
GOVERNMENT GROWTH IMPACT: Government growth impact will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding the proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: The new courses would provide students a new cybersecurity pathway in the STEM endorsement.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: Procedural and reporting implications will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding the proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: Locally maintained paperwork requirements will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding the proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: The official public comment period will begin when a proposal, approved for first reading and filing authorization by the SBOE, is published in the Texas Register.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: None.
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: Draft Recommendations for Proposed New Cybersecurity TEKS (To be
provided at the meeting.)
November 14, 2018
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for cybersecurity courses as required by House Bill (HB) 3593, 85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017.
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, §28.002(f)(2), requires the SBOE to approve courses in cybersecurity for credit for high school graduation.
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.
TEC, §28.025(c-1)(1), establishes that an endorsement may be earned in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which includes courses related to science, including environmental science; technology, including computer science, cybersecurity, and computer coding; engineering; and advanced mathematics.
TEC, §28.025(c-10), requires the SBOE to adopt or select five technology applications courses on cybersecurity to be included in a cybersecurity pathway for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics endorsement.
BOARD RESPONSE: This item is presented for review and comment.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: 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.
FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: At the direction of the committee, new courses in cybersecurity could be presented for first reading and filing authorization at the next scheduled SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The 85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, passed HB 3593, adding TEC, §28.002(f)(2), to require that the SBOE approve courses in cybersecurity for credit for high school graduation. HB 3593 amended TEC, §28.025(c-1)(1), to add cybersecurity and computer coding to the courses to be included in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) endorsement. HB 3593 also added TEC, §28.025(c)(10), to require that the SBOE adopt or select five technology applications courses on cybersecurity to be included in a cybersecurity pathway for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) endorsement.
In spring 2015, a new Principles in Cybersecurity innovative course was approved by the commissioner of education for use beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools may offer any state-approved innovative course for elective credit with the approval of the local board of trustees.
In August 2018, a committee of secondary and postsecondary educators and business and industry representatives were selected to develop recommended TEKS for new cybersecurity courses for the pathway. The committee convened for the first face-to-face meeting in Austin in September 2018 to begin working on recommendations for a TEKS-based foundational course in cybersecurity based on the Principles in Cybersecurity innovative course. The committee participated in an additional face-to-face meeting in October 2018 to develop recommendations for a second cybersecurity course that would serve as a capstone for the cybersecurity pathway. This item provides the opportunity for the Committee of the Full Board to discuss the initial recommendations for the two proposed new cybersecurity courses, which will be provided to the Committee of the Full Board as a separate exhibit during the SBOE meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT: There will be normal business costs associated with this process for the agency, including committee travel, meeting accommodations, and production and dissemination of documents. Fiscal implications will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding a proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
GOVERNMENT GROWTH IMPACT: Government growth impact will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding the proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: The new courses would provide students a new cybersecurity pathway in the STEM endorsement.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: Procedural and reporting implications will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding the proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: Locally maintained paperwork requirements will be assessed after the committee gives direction regarding the proposal to bring forward for first reading and filing authorization.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: The official public comment period will begin when a proposal, approved for first reading and filing authorization by the SBOE, is published in the Texas Register.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: None.
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: Draft Recommendations for Proposed New Cybersecurity TEKS (To be
provided at the meeting.)