Directors of Guidance Conference September 14, TEA Curriculum Update Shelly Ramos Director of Academic Standards and Services Curriculum Division, TEA

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 2 Agenda Graduation Requirements Academic Achievement Record Texas Virtual School Network Curriculum Updates FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 3 Graduation Requirements New Chapter 74, Subchapter G, Graduation Requirements beginning with Visit for more information and the updated side-by-side.

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 4 Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 5 Minimum High School Program (MHSP)  A student on the MHSP will be permitted to take Principles of Technology to satisfy the physics requirement if he or she takes chemistry and physics rather than IPC. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 6 Recommended High School Program (RHSP) Mathematics course sequence requirements: Mathematical Models with Applications must be successfully completed prior to Algebra II. CTE courses that may satisfy the fourth mathematics requirement may be taken after the successful completion of Algebra I and Geometry and either after the successful completion of or concurrently with Algebra II. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 7 Recommended High School Program (RHSP) Science course sequence requirements: Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC) must be successfully completed prior to Chemistry and Physics. CTE courses that may satisfy the fourth science requirement may be taken after the successful completion of Biology and Chemistry and either after the successful completion of or concurrently with Physics. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 8 Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) Math course sequence requirements: The fourth mathematics credit must be taken after successful completion of Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. CTE courses that may satisfy the fourth mathematics requirement may be taken after the successful completion of Algebra I and Geometry and either after the successful completion of or concurrently with Algebra II. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 9 Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) Science course sequence requirements: CTE courses that may satisfy the fourth science requirement may be taken after the successful completion of Biology and Chemistry and either after the successful completion of or concurrently with Physics. That is now the only science sequencing requirement. The requirement that any 4 th science credit on the DAP can only be earned after completion of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics will not apply to this cohort. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 10 All Three Graduation Programs A student who is unable to participate in physical activity due to disability or illness may substitute an academic elective credit (English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies) for the physical education credit requirement. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 11 The determination regarding a student's ability to participate in physical activity will be made by the student’s ARD committee, the Section 504 committee, or a committee established by the school district of persons with appropriate knowledge regarding the student if neither of the first two committees is applicable. This committee shall follow the same procedures required of an ARD or a Section 504 committee. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 12 Combining Credits TAC, §74.26(d), allows a local school district to award credit proportionately to students to who are able to successfully complete only one semester of a two- semester course. Unless the TAC specifically prohibits combining two half credits to satisfy a graduation requirement, in accordance with local district policy, a student may satisfy a graduation requirement for which there are multiple options with one-half credit of one allowable option and one-half credit of a second allowable option. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 13 A student may not combine a half credit of Algebra II with a half credit from another mathematics course to satisfy the final mathematics credit requirement (MHSP) a half credit of either World History Studies or World Geography Studies with a half credit from another academic elective course to satisfy the academic elective credit requirement (MHSP) a half credit of a course for which there is an end-of- course assessment with another elective to satisfy an elective credit requirement (any grad. program) Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 14 Prerequisites A student may not be enrolled in a course that has a required prerequisite unless the student has completed the prerequisite course(s); has demonstrated equivalent knowledge as determined by the school district; or was already enrolled in the course in an out-of-state, an out-of-country, or a Texas nonpublic school and transferred to a Texas public school prior to successfully completing the course. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 15 Prerequisites A district may award credit for a course a student completed without having met the prerequisites if the student completed the course in an out-of-state, an out-of-country, or a Texas nonpublic school where there was not a prerequisite. Graduation Requirements

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. Academic Achievement Record The 2012 Minimum Standards for the AAR is now available at 16

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. Curriculum Updates Bullying Prevention In accordance with House Bill 1942 (82nd Texas Legislature, 2011), the State Board of Education is responsible for adopting essential knowledge and skills on bullying prevention and intervention in conjunction with the Texas School Safety Center. 17

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. Curriculum Updates Bullying Prevention Expected timeline: November 2012—SBOE scheduled to discuss rulemaking Spring 2013—SBOE expected to adopt revisions to the TEKS to include bullying prevention and intervention 18

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. Curriculum Updates Changes to Rules for English Language Learners The term Limited English Proficient (LEP) was updated to English Language Learner (ELL) throughout the rule The dual language rules in Chapter 89, Subchapter FF have been repealed as a separate rule and incorporated into Chapter 89, Subchapter BB to clarify the relationship between bilingual education and dual language instruction The amended rule clarifies that bilingual and ESL programs must be selected from the four program models outlined in statute 19

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. Curriculum Updates Changes to Rules for English Language Learners The deadline for exceptions and waivers was changed from October 1 of each year to November 1 of each year Several references to periods of time clarify that that four weeks is equivalent to 20 school days. The amended rule clarifies the requirements for serving students who are English language learners and who also qualify for special education services. 20

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. Curriculum Updates Changes to Rules for English Language Learners A campus administrator has been added to the composition of the LPAC to align with requirements in statute. The campus administrator must be personnel coded as Function 23 (principals, assistant principals and related staff) under School Leadership as defined by the Financial Accountability System Resource Guide. Principals, assistant principals and related staff are personnel that:  Supervise all operations of the campus  Evaluate staff members of the campus  Assign duties to staff members maintaining the records of the students on the campus 21

Curriculum Updates Changes to Rules for English Language Learners The rule now references “facilities” instead of “schools” to address the use of newcomer centers and clarifies the limit on the amount of time a student may be housed at a newcomer center. The rule was updated to clarify that tests used for identification, exit, and placement of students must be re- normed every eight years to align with timelines for requirements of similar tests included in statute. 22 Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved.

Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) TxVSN Statewide Course Catalog Offers courses for high school graduation Serves students in grades 8–12 Participation through school districts and open- enrollment charter schools ADA-funded based on successful course completion Over 450 participating districts and charter schools 23 Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved.

Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) TxVSN Courses Highly interactive, teacher-led courses taught by Texas certified instructors Emphasize extensive, meaningful interaction between instructor/student and among students Reviewed to ensure 100% alignment to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and iNACOL National Standards of Quality for Online Courses Reviewed to ensure compliance with accessibility requirements 24 Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved.

Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) Benefits for Students Equitable access to courses needed to meet their graduation plan and prepare for their future Equitable access to highly qualified instructors Opportunity to take courses  not available locally;  for acceleration or credit recovery; and  to earn college credit. Flexible scheduling, flexible pace Individualized instruction 25 Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved.

27 Frequently Asked Questions

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 28 Does every student have to complete physics to graduate? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs )

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 29 No. Physics is a requirement for graduation on the RHSP and DAP. Please note that a student on the RHSP may satisfy the physics requirement by successfully completing Principles of Technology. FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 30 If a student on the RHSP has credit for chemistry, can he or she still drop back to the MHSP and take IPC? FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 31 Yes. A student on the MHSP is required to have two credits in science—one in Biology and one in Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC). SBOE rule does not dictate a course sequence on the MHSP, so a student may elect to complete IPC at any time. (In this scenario, the chemistry credit could satisfy the academic elective requirement.) FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 32 Can any student combine ½ credit of one science course with ½ credit of another to satisfy the fourth science credit? FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 33 Possibly. In accordance with local district policy, a student may satisfy a graduation requirement for which there are multiple options with ½ credit of one allowable option and ½ credit of a second allowable option. An additional point to remember: Students who met their science requirement with IPC, making Physics their fourth science credit, may not combine ½ credit of Physics with ½ credit of any other course (except POT). FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 34 Who may satisfy English I and/or English II requirements through ESOL I and ESOL II? FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 35 Students identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP) who are at the beginning or intermediate level of English language proficiency, as defined by TAC §74.4(d) (English Language Proficiency Standards), may be enrolled in ESOL I or ESOL II. FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 36 How do districts determine a student’s proficiency level in order to qualify him for enrollment in ESOL I or ESOL II? FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 37 The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) composite score should be used to determine whether a student is at the beginning or intermediate level of English language proficiency. For a student who does not have a TELPAS score due to recent enrollment in a Texas school, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) should make a placement decision based on the identification process outlined in TAC § FAQs

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 38 Curriculum Division Listservs TEA Updates Join TEA curriculum-related listservs for information. AP/IB Incentives Bilingual/ESL Education Career and Technical Education Early Childhood Education ELA-Reading Fine Arts Gifted/Talented Education Health and Physical Education Languages other than English (LOTE) Mathematics School Health and Safety Science Social Studies Texas Migrant Education To the Administrator Addressed

Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 39 Curriculum Division Newsletter TEA Updates Fall 2012 newsletter is coming soon!

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency All rights reserved. 41 Contact the Curriculum Division by at by telephone at (512) Shelly Ramos Director of Academic Standards and Services Questions?