Health (including Sex Ed), PE and High School Science
TEA Launches Public Comment Period
For Proposed SBOE TEKS Revisions
Public comments are being accepted (see this page) for the major TEKS rewrites that were tentatively approved on first (of two) reading by the State Board of Education (SBOE) for:
- Health education (including sex education),
- Physical education and
- High school science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Integrated Physics and Chemistry [IPC]).
The proposed TEKS in each of the three areas underwent extensive changes by the SBOE in September from the version that was printed in the meeting agenda.
Although the official public comment period ends on Nov. 13, the TEA says that the comments should be submitted as soon as possible because SBOE members are receiving weekly updates from their content advisors.
Final adoption is slated for the board’s Nov. 17-20 meeting, which will include a public hearing on all three TEKS areas before the board’s final vote on Nov. 20.
The public is asked that when submitting comments, they clearly identify where the proposed TEKS appears.
The final health and PE TEKS revisions are scheduled to be implemented in School Year 2022-23, and the revised TEKS for the four high school courses will be implemented in School Year 2023-24.
Other Science TEKS News
- Climate change — In advance of the SBOE’s consideration, next month (see above), of high school science TEKS revisions, the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund and the National Center for Science Education jointly issued (Oct. 8) a report singling out Texas as one of six states to receive an “F” grade for its teachings of climate change in public schools.
The report said Texas’ standards “largely ignore the issue” of climate change and generally fail to acknowledge the seriousness of the crisis.
The researchers said that, generally, states with poor grades either ignored climate change entirely or presented it as scientifically uncertain. Many states also did not address ways to combat the climate crisis, the report said. (see also
Houston Chronicle) - Science TEKS work groups — The TEA is accepting Science TEKS work groups applications (info here) for teachers of Grade K-5 science and for these high school courses: Aquatic Science, Astronomy, Earth and Space Science, and Environmental Systems.
Also needed are teachers of science credit-eligible career and technical education (CTE) courses and representatives from business and industry.
There’s no specific application deadline, and work groups will meet virtually.