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K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes in Texas

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See also: K-12 education content standards in the states

This page features information about K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and related statutes in Texas.

Background: What is curriculum development?

See also: K-12 education content standards in the states

State or local education officials develop K-12 curriculum for classroom instruction that generally includes lessons and materials used in a particular course of study.[1] Depending on the state, K-12 curriculum may reflect or incorporate state content standards—educational learning and achievement goals that state education officials either require or recommend that local schools satisfy in K-12 instruction.

K-12 curriculum development in public schools varies across the 50 states. State-level entities (such as state boards of education and state education agency leaders) or local entities (such as school districts and local schools) may play a role in the development and approval of K-12 curriculum.

If a state-level entity is tasked with developing a K-12 curriculum, state statutes or regulations may either require or recommend that local schools or districts use the state-developed curriculum in the classroom. Other states allow local schools or districts to develop their own K-12 curriculum.

K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and related statutes in Texas

The following table provides information about K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and related statutes in Texas as of December 2023. The statutes provided may not be comprehensive. The statutory text is provided below the table.

Texas K-12 curriculum authority, requirements, and statutes
State Entity If state-developed, is curriculum recommended or required for local schools? Statute or regulation
Texas State Board of Education/Local districts Required Texas Educ Code § 7.102 (2022),
Texas RULE §74.1


Texas Educ Code § 7.102 (2022):

The board shall establish curriculum and graduation requirements.[2]

Texas Administrative Code § 74.1:

(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, geography, and economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits; and
(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:
(A) to the extent possible, languages other than English;
(B) health, with emphasis on:
(i) physical health, including the importance of proper nutrition and exercise;
(ii) mental health, including instruction about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making; and
(iii) suicide prevention, including recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;
(C) physical education;
(D) fine arts;
(E) career and technical education;
(F) technology applications;
(G) religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature; and
(H) personal financial literacy.

(b) A school district must provide instruction in the essential knowledge and skills of the appropriate grade levels in the foundation and enrichment curriculum as specified in paragraphs (1)-(12) of this subsection. A school district may add elements at its discretion but must not delete or omit instruction in the foundation and enrichment curriculum specified in subsection (a) of this section.[2]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. The Glossary of Education Reform, "Curriculum," accessed July 26, 2022
  2. 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.