Today, the State Board of Education (SBOE) gave final approval to streamlined science standards for kindergarten through high school which will eliminate, clarify or combines some standards without adding additional content. Science is the first subject to undergo a streamlining process.
The SBOE also gave preliminary approval to updated Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards, for English and Spanish language arts and reading for high school. The final vote is expected to occur on May 10 and final approval is expected to occur in June. There is no expected delay in Proclamation 2019.
In regards to the Science standards – the SBOE approved compromise-language on two high profile standards:
- The board changed biology standard (4)(A) from “compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and evaluate scientific explanation for their complexity;” as approved on first reading to:
- “compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including their complexity, and compare and contrast scientific explanations for cellular complexity.”
- The board also changed biology standard (6)(A), which, as approved on first reading, read: “identify components of DNA, describe how information for specifying the traits of an organism is carried in the DNA, and evaluate scientific explanations for the origin of DNA;”
- As approved Friday, it now reads “identify components of DNA, identify how information for specifying the traits of an organism is carried in the DNA, and examine scientific explanations for the origin of DNA.”
The SBOE did agree to delay implementation of the streamlined science standards to the 2018-2019 school year to give districts and educators time to align curriculum and instructional materials to the streamlined standards.