Curriculum/programs
The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) is the Texas public school curriculum implemented in 1998. Districts are required to provide instruction in the essential knowledge and skills at the appropriate grade levels in the foundation and enrichment curriculum. The foundation TEKS are those in English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, social studies (including economics), Spanish language arts and English as a second language. The enrichment TEKS are those in languages other than English, fine arts, health, physical education, technology applications, and career and technology education. The TEKS in grades K-8 math must include personal financial literacy instruction. Implementation resources for both the foundation and enrichment TEKS can be accessed via the Curriculum link on the TEA website at www.tea.state.tx.us.
Physical education
Legislation passed in 2009 strengthens the physical education curriculum to include a requirement that at least 50 percent of a PE course (on a weekly basis) comprise actual student physical activity at a moderate or vigorous level, while meeting the needs of students of all ability levels. The legislation also expands the 30-minute daily PE requirement to include full-day prekindergarten and, to the extent practicable, half-day prekindergarten. Additionally, districts must establish goals that include class-size ratios small enough to ensure student safety; if a district establishes class-size ratios exceeding 45:1, the district must specifically identify how student safety will be ensured.
Physical activity requirements
State law/rules require all students enrolled in full-day prekindergarten, kindergarten or grades 1-5 in an elementary school setting to participate in physical activity for a minimum of either 30 minutes daily or 135 minutes weekly in a TEKS-based physical education class or a TEKS-based structured activity, including structured recess. Students are required to participate in moderate or vigorous activity at least 30 minutes per day for at least four semesters during grades 6, 7 and 8 (exemptions are allowed for middle school students who participate in an extracurricular activity that includes vigorous exercise). Districts with block scheduling are permitted to require students to participate in moderate or vigorous physical activity for at least 225 minutes over a two-week period. Under 2011 legislation, school districts are no longer required to conduct annual physical assessments for all students in grades 3-12. Rather, districts are only required to conduct the physical assessments for students in grade 3 or higher who are enrolled in a physical education course.
Fine arts required in middle school
The State Board of Education (SBOE) has adopted rules clarifying that beginning with the 2010-11 school year, students must complete only one fine arts course during the entirety of grades 6-8.
Optional flexible year/school day program
State law allows school districts to use a flexible year program to provide up to 10 fewer days of instruction than required by law to all students other than at-risk students, so that additional instruction can be provided to students who did not or are not likely to perform successfully on the state assessment or who otherwise would not be promoted to the next grade level. State law also allows school districts to provide an optional flexible school day program for students who have dropped out of school, are at risk of dropping out, or as a result of attendance requirements will be denied credit for one or more classes.
