TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY

Statutory Authority: The provisions of this Subchapter A issued under the Texas Education Code, §§7.102, 28.002, 28.023, 28.025, 28.054, and 38.003, unless otherwise noted.

§74.1. Essential Knowledge and Skills.

(a) A school district that offers kindergarten through Grade 12 must offer the following as a required
curriculum:

(1) a foundation curriculum that includes:

(A) English language arts;

(B) mathematics;

(C) science; and

(D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United States and world history, government, and geography; and

(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:

(A) to the extent possible, languages other than English;

(B) health;

(C) physical education;

(D) fine arts;

(E) economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits;

(F) career and technology education; and

(G) technology applications.

(b) A school district must provide instruction in the essential knowledge and skills of the appropriate grade levels in the foundation curriculum as specified in Chapter 110 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading); Chapter 111 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics); Chapter 112 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science); Chapter 113 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies); and Chapter 128 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and English as a Second Language). A school district may add elements at its discretion but must not delete or omit instruction in the foundation curriculum specified in subsection (a) of
this section.

(c) A district shall use the essential knowledge and skills as guidelines in providing instruction in the enrichment curriculum as specified in Chapter 114 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than English), Chapter 115 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education), Chapter 116 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Physical Education), Chapter 117 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts), Chapter 118 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits), Chapter 119 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Agricultural Science and Technology Education), Chapter 120 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Business Education), Chapter 121 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Science Technology Education), Chapter 122 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Home Economics Education), Chapter 123 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Education/Industrial Technology Education), Chapter 124 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Marketing Education), Chapter 125 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Trade and Industrial Education), Chapter 126 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications), and Chapter 127 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Orientation).

Source: The provisions of this §74.1 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 4311; amended to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 5675.

§74.2. Description of a Required Elementary Curriculum.

A school district that offers kindergarten through Grade 5 must provide instruction in the required curriculum as specified in §74.1 of this title (relating to Essential Knowledge and Skills). The district must ensure that sufficient time is provided for teachers to teach and for students to learn English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, health, physical education, technology applications, and to the extent possible, languages other than English. The school district may provide instruction in a variety of arrangements and settings, including mixed-age programs designed to permit flexible learning arrangements for developmentally appropriate instruction for all student populations to support student attainment of course and grade level standards.

Source: The provisions of this §74.2 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 4311; amended to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 5675.

§74.3. Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum.

(a) Middle Grades 6-8. A school district that offers Grades 6-8 must provide instruction in the required curriculum as specified in §74.1 of this title (relating to Essential Knowledge and Skills). The district must ensure that sufficient time is provided for teachers to teach and for students to learn English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, health, physical education, technology applications, and to the extent possible, languages other than English. The school district may provide instruction in a variety of arrangements and settings, including mixed-age programs designed to permit flexible learning arrangements for developmentally appropriate instruction for all student populations to support student attainment of course and grade level standards.

(b) Secondary Grades 9-12.

(1) A school district that offers Grades 9-12 must provide instruction in the required curriculum as specified in §74.1 of this title (relating to Essential Knowledge and Skills). The district must ensure that sufficient time is provided for teachers to teach and for students to learn the subjects in the required curriculum. The school district may provide instruction in a variety of arrangements and settings, including mixed-age programs designed to permit flexible learning arrangements for developmentally appropriate instruction for all student populations to support student attainment of course and grade level standards.

(2) The school district must offer the courses listed in this paragraph and maintain evidence that students have the opportunity to take these courses:

(A) English language arts--English I, II, III, and IV;

(B) mathematics--Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Precalculus, and Mathematical Models with Applications;

(C) science--Integrated Physics and Chemistry, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Science courses shall include at least 40% hands-on laboratory investigations and field work using
appropriate scientific inquiry;

(D) social studies--United States History Studies Since Reconstruction, World History Studies, United States Government, and World Geography Studies; 

(E) economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits--Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits;

(F) physical education--Foundations of Personal Fitness and at least two courses selected from Adventure/Outdoor Education; Aerobic Activities; Individual Sports; or Team Sports;

(G) health education--Health 1;

(H) fine arts--courses selected from at least two of the four fine arts areas (art, music, theatre, and dance)--Art I, II, III, IV; Music I, II, III, IV; Theatre I, II, III, IV; or Dance I, II, III, IV;

(I) career and technology education--courses selected from at least three of the eight career and technology areas (agricultural science and technology education, business education, career orientation, health science technology education, family and consumer sciences education/home economics education, technology education/industrial technology education, marketing education, and trade and industrial education) taught on a campus in the school district with provisions for contracting for additional offerings with programs or institutions as may be practical;

(J) languages other than English--Levels I, II, and III of the same language;

(K) technology applications--at least four courses selected from Computer Science I, Computer Science II, Desktop Publishing, Digital Graphics/Animation, Multimedia, Video Technology, Web Mastering, or Independent Study in Technology Applications;

(L) speech--Communication Applications. 

(3) Districts may offer additional courses from the complete list of courses approved by the State Board of Education to satisfy graduation requirements as referenced in Subchapter B of this chapter (relating to Graduation Requirements) and Subchapter D of this chapter (relating to Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2001-2002).

(4) The school district must provide each student the opportunity to participate in all courses listed in subsection (b)(2) of this section. The district must provide students the opportunity each year to select courses in which they intend to participate from a list that includes all courses required to be offered in subsection (b)(2) of this section. If the school district will not offer the required courses every year, but intends to offer particular courses only every other year, it must notify all enrolled students of that fact. The school district must teach a course in which ten or more students indicate they will participate or that is required for a student to graduate. For a course in which fewer than ten students indicate they will participate, the district must either teach the course or employ options described in Subchapter C of this chapter (relating to Other Provisions) to provide the course and must maintain evidence that it is employing those options.

Source: The provisions of this §74.3 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 4311; amended to be effective October 13, 1997, 22 TexReg 10129; amended to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 5675; amended to be effective September 1, 2001, 25 TexReg 7691.