TEKS Overview and History

Overview

What are the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills?

The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, are the state-mandated curriculum guidelines that establish what every student, from elementary school through high school, should know and be able to do in each subject area for which TEKS were written. The State Board of Education adopted the mathematics TEKS on July 11, 1997, for implementation in September 1998. Revisions to the mathematics TEKS were adopted by the State Board of Education in February 2005 (secondary TEKS) and October 2005 (elementary TEKS) with implementation set for September 2006.

What is in the mathematics TEKS?

In grades K–8, the mathematics TEKS include five content strands:

Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning;
Patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking;
Geometry and spatial reasoning;
Measurement; and
Probability and statistics.

The sixth strand,

Underlying processes and mathematical tools,

is to thread throughout the content strands and shows how problemsolving, language and communication, connections inside and outside mathematics, and formal and informal reasoning are essential to student understanding of mathematics.

In high school, students continue to build on the grades K–8 foundation as they expand their understanding through other mathematical experiences. Each high school course is described by content strands.

For example, in Algebra I there are three main focal points to student learning:

Foundations for functions;
Linear functions; and
Quadratic and other nonlinear functions.

As in grades K–8, problemsolving, language and communication, connections inside and outside mathematics, and formal and informal reasoning thread throughout the content strands and are essential for student understanding of mathematics.

How are the TEKS used?

The TEKS are used by districts, schools, and teachers to guide curriculum development, instructional materials selection, and lesson planning. They are already being used by the Texas Education Agency to refine the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), a major component of the state accountability system. Additionally, the TEKS can help families and members of the community develop a clearer understanding of what is being taught in their schools.

How do I get a copy of the TEKS?

TEKS for all covered subjects are available online at the Texas Education Agency. Hard copies of the TEKS for mathematics and science can be obtained from the Charles A. Dana Center's product catalog.

History

How are the TEKS an improvement over what came before?

Before the TEKS, a state curriculum framework called Essential Elements established what students should have the opportunity to learn. The EEs were an important step in that they represented the first time in Texas that a state-mandated curriculum was spelled out in some detail.

However, over time it became clear that more specificity and a clearer focus were necessary. In many cases, the language was so broad that it left teachers puzzled regarding what to teach. As a revision of the Essential Elements, the TEKS were designed to establish precisely what students should know and be able to do, and to establish the degree of proficiency expected of students at given grade levels. This level of specificity helps teachers understand exactly what should be taught and tested in order to align with the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), the state student performance test.

Who actually wrote the mathematics TEKS?

The Texas Statewide Systemic Initiative at the Charles A. Dana Center served as the contractor to the Texas Education Agency for developing the mathematics and science TEKS. Mathematics and science TEKS writing teams were composed of mathematics and science teachers, school administrators, parents, businesspeople, and members of the general public.

Judith Austin, Wichita Falls ISD
Jennie M. Bennett, Houston ISD
Nina Bible, Killeen Support Service Center
Cindy J. Boyd, Abilene ISD
Ronald D. Brown, Burkburnett High School
Ernestina Cano, Edinburg CISD
Dinah Chancellor, Carroll ISD
Pam Chandler, Fort Bend ISD
Janice Dunn, Conroe ISD
Tommy Eads, Paris ISD
Charles Finnell, Marshall Middle School, Beaumont
Glenda M. Gee, Nocona ISD
Ron N. Gonzales, Austin ISD
Patsy G. Green, Longview (Consultant)
William Hansen, Texas Eastman
Cindy G. Hart, Deer Park ISD
John Huber, Sam Houston State University
Betty Koleilat, Drew Academy, Spring
Charles E. Lamb, Texas A&M University
Noemi R. Lopez, Harris County Department of Education
Beatrice Morre-Harris, Houston ISD
Dianne K. Morris, Houston ISD
Lois Moseley, Region IV Education Service Center
Ismael F. Olivas, Socorro ISD
Sue A. Quinn, Sabine ISD
Basia Rinesmith-Hall, Alief ISD
Elias Rodriguez, Leander ISD
Lynda K. Salgado, R.L. Martin Elementary, Brownsville
Mary H. Selcer, Bryan–College Station ISD
Liz A. Spears, Jacksboro High School
Pamela A. Summers, Lubbock ISD
Susan Thomas, Alamo Heights ISD
Emma Trevino, Corpus Christi ISD
Carolyn S. Watt, Murfee Elementary, Lubbock
LuAnn Weynand, Northeast ISD
Ellen L. White-Volk, Jefferson Methodist Learning Center, San Antonio

The writing teams were charged with the following responsibilities:

review the current essential elements,
ensure relevance and rigor in the curriculum,
clarify the essential elements so that they articulate what all students should know and to be able to do,
specify the levels of performance expected of students at particular grades,
ensure that the essential elements and performance expectations meet the learning needs of all students, and
link interdisciplinary concepts, content, and skills across the curriculum.

Writing team members by education service center regions:

Region 1: 2
Region 2: 2
Region 4: 7
Region 5: 1
Region 6: 4
Region 7: 3
Region 9: 4
Region 10: 1
Region 11: 1
Region 12: 1
Region 13: 3
Region 14: 1
Region 17: 2
Region 19: 1
Region 20: 3

How was the mathematics TEKS writing team selected?

Writing team members were selected through an application process which was open to all Texans. Screening of the applicants was conducted by professional association members, Texas Education Agency staff, and other field representatives. There were about 200 applications for the mathematics writing team.

Selections were made based on subject-matter expertise, professional background, and grade-level experience. To ensure diversity, factors including gender, race/ethnicity, and area of representation (public education, higher education, business, and parent/community) were also considered.

What was the process for reviewing and improving the TEKS?

In 1996–97, three publicly distributed drafts of each document were submitted to the State Board of Education for review. In addition to the SBOE review, the TEKS underwent a stringent field review. In mathematics, more than 4,500 field review responses to the first and second drafts were received from individuals and groups in all parts of the state, and from a wide variety of national experts. In 2005, the Texas Education Agency managed a careful review and revision process for the mathematics TEKS, again with expert and field review. The revised TEKS were implemented in Fall 2006 along with revisions to the TAKS.

What changes were made in 2009?

The second revision of the mathematics TEKS was adopted by the State Board of Education in 2009 and is to be implemented statewide in 2009–2010. This revision aligned the existing mathematics TEKS to the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in January 2008.

These changes were relatively minimal. Overall, the 2009 revision:

Added 3 Student Expectations statements: 1 in middle school and 2 in high school
Modified 3 existing Knowledge and Skills statements: 2 in middle school and 1 in high school
Modified 4 existing student expectations: 3 in middle school and 1 in high school

There were not any changes to the elementary mathematics TEKS.