April 2023 Committee on Instruction Item 2
Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter A, Middle School
(Second Reading and Final Adoption)
April 14, 2023
COMMITTEE ON INSTRUCTION: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item presents for second reading and final adoption proposed revisions to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter A, Middle School. The proposed revisions would repeal two existing middle school courses, add a new middle school course, and repeal implementation language that will no longer be relevant. No changes are recommended since approved for first reading.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002(a) and (c), and 28.016.
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, §28.016, requires each school district to ensure that at least once in Grade 7 or 8 each student receives instruction in high school, college, and career preparation. TEC, §28.016(c)(2), permits school districts to provide the instruction as part of an existing career and technical education course designated by the SBOE as appropriate for that purpose.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the proposed revisions is August 1, 2023. Under TEC, §7.102(f), the SBOE must approve the rule action at second reading and final adoption by a vote of two-thirds of its members to specify an effective date earlier than the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. The earlier effective date will allow all school districts including districts of innovation to implement the new course at the beginning of their school year.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted §127.2, Investigating Careers, Adopted 2015, and §127.3, College and Career Readiness, Adopted 2015, effective August 28, 2017. At the August-September 2022 meeting, the SBOE discussed a proposed new Flight Plans course that would replace the two existing middle school college and career exploration courses. The board approved the proposed revisions for first reading and filing authorization at the November 2022 SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: TEC, §28.016, requires each school district to ensure that at least once in Grade 7 or 8 each student receives instruction in high school, college, and career preparation. The instruction must include information regarding the creation of a high school personal graduation plan, the distinguished level of achievement, each endorsement, college readiness standards, and potential career choices and the education needed to enter those careers. School districts are permitted to provide the instruction as part of an existing career and technical education course designated by the SBOE as appropriate for that purpose.
At the request of a board member, the board will consider replacing two existing courses with a single updated course in college and career investigation and preparation. Proposed new §127.2, Flight Plans, Adopted 2022, would be available for districts to use in meeting the requirements of TEC, §28.016.
The implementation section for the subchapter would be repealed and new implementation language added to proposed new §127.2 to align with the changes.
FISCAL IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
Texas Education Agency (TEA) has determined that there are no additional costs to the state. During the first five years the proposal is in effect, there may be fiscal implications for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to implement the proposed new course, which may include the need for professional development and revisions to district-developed databases, curriculum, and scope and sequence documents. Since curriculum and instruction decisions are made at the local district level, it is difficult to estimate the fiscal impact on any given district.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal has no effect on local economy; therefore, no local employment impact statement is required under Texas Government Code, §2001.022.
SMALL BUSINESS, MICROBUSINESS, AND RURAL COMMUNITY IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal has 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.
COST INCREASE TO REGULATED PERSONS: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal does not impose a cost on regulated persons, another state agency, a special district, or a local government and, therefore, is not subject to Texas Government Code, §2001.0045.
TAKINGS IMPACT ASSESSMENT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal does not impose a burden on private real property and, therefore, does not constitute a taking under Texas Government Code, §2007.043.
GOVERNMENT GROWTH IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
TEA staff prepared a Government Growth Impact Statement assessment for this proposed rulemaking. The proposed rulemaking would create a new regulation and repeal existing regulations by adding Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for a new college and career exploration course and removing existing courses and related implementation language.
The proposed rulemaking would not create or eliminate a government program; would not require the creation of new employee positions or elimination of existing employee positions; would not require an increase or decrease in future legislative appropriations to the agency; would not require an increase or decrease in fees paid to the agency; would not expand or limit an existing regulation; would not increase or decrease the number of individuals subject to its applicability; and would not positively or adversely affect the state's economy.
PUBLIC BENEFIT AND COST TO PERSONS: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposed revisions would update and streamline the standards for college and career exploration to ensure the standards remain current. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposal.
DATA AND REPORTING IMPACT: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
The proposal would have no data and reporting impact.
PRINCIPAL AND CLASSROOM TEACHER PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: No changes have been made to this section since published as proposed.
TEA has determined that the proposal would not require a written report or other paperwork to be completed by a principal or classroom teacher.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: Following the November 2022 SBOE meeting, notice of the proposed revisions to Chapter 127, Subchapter A, were filed with the Texas Register, initiating the public comment period. The public comment period began December 23, 2022, and ended at 5:00 p.m. on January 27, 2023. A summary of public comments received will be provided to the SBOE during the January-February 2023 meeting. The SBOE will take registered oral and written comments on the proposal at the appropriate committee meeting in January-February 2023 in accordance with the SBOE board operating policies and procedures.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Approve for second reading and final adoption proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter A, Middle School; and
Make an affirmative finding that immediate adoption of proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter A, Middle School, is necessary and shall have an effective date of August 1, 2023. (Per TEC, §7.102(f), a vote of two-thirds of the members of the board is necessary for an earlier effective date.)
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director, Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Attachment:
Text of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter A, Middle School