September 2022 Committee on Instruction Item 1

One-Time Procedural Action to Correct the Effective Date of the Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter O, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,
§127.761 and §127.764

September 2, 2022

COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: CONSENT

SUMMARY: At the June 17, 2022, meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) approved for second reading and final adoption proposed new 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter O, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, §127.788, Fundamentals of Computer Science (One Credit), Adopted 2022, and §127.791, Computer Science III (One Credit), Adopted 2022. The SBOE voted to establish an implementation date of the 2023-2024 school year for the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for the two courses. Also at the June 17, 2022, meeting, the board approved the repeal of the current TEKS for 19 TAC §127.761, Fundamentals of Computer Science (One Credit), and §127.764, Computer Science III (One Credit), with an effective date of August 1, 2022. The result of these actions means that the current TEKS for the two courses would be repealed before the new TEKS are implemented. This item requests that the SBOE take one-time action to amend the motion made at the June 17, 2022, meeting to specify an August 1, 2023, effective date for the proposed repeal of 19 TAC §127.761 and §127.764 in order for the repeal to take effect at the same time that the new TEKS for the two courses are implemented.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4); 28.002(a) and (c); and 28.025(a), (c-1)(1), and (c-10).

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

TEC, §28.002(a), identifies the subjects of the required curriculum.

TEC, §28.002(c), requires the SBOE to identify by rule 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(a), requires the SBOE to determine by rule the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school graduation program that are consistent with the required curriculum under 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 STEM endorsement.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: In 2020, the SBOE approved the consolidation of the high school technology applications courses, which included courses in computer science, into the career and technical education (CTE) TEKS. The CTE TEKS are codified in subchapter in 19 TAC Chapters 127 and 130. In December 2020, the SBOE began initial steps to prepare for the review and revision of CTE courses in programs of study for the education and training, health science, and STEM career clusters. Two additional courses eligible to satisfy a graduation requirement in science were also part of the review. At the June 2021 SBOE meeting, a discussion item for proposed revisions to CTE courses in 19 TAC Chapter 130 was presented to the board.

The SBOE postponed first reading and filing authorization for certain courses, including four courses in computer science, to allow additional time to review and finalize recommendations. The SBOE approved the proposed new computer science courses for first reading and filing authorization at the April 2022 meeting. At the June 17, 2022 meeting, the board approved the proposed new computer science courses for second reading and final adoption. The SBOE voted to establish an implementation date of the 2023-2024 school year for §127.788, Fundamentals of Computer Science (One Credit), and §127.791, Computer Science III (One Credit). Also at the June 17, 2022 meeting, the board approved the repeal of the current TEKS for 19 TAC §127.761, Fundamentals of Computer Science (One Credit), and §127.764, Computer Science III (One Credit), with an effective date of August 1, 2022. However, the result of these actions means that the repeal of the current TEKS for the two courses would be effective for the 2022-2023 school year, before the new TEKS are scheduled to be implemented in the 2023-2024 school year.

This one-time procedural action provides the opportunity for the board to specify an August 1, 2023 effective date for the proposed repeal of 19 TAC §127.761, Fundamentals of Computer Science (One Credit), Adopted 2022, and §127.764, Computer Science III (One Credit), Adopted 2022, in order for the repeal to take effect at the same time that the new TEKS for the two courses are implemented.

MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:

Amend the motion from the June 17, 2022 minutes of the State Board of Education to specify an August 1, 2023 effective date for the proposed repeal of 19 TAC §127.761, Fundamentals of Computer Science (One Credit), and §127.764, Computer Science III (One Credit).

Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support