Questions and Answers About the TEKS

Q: What are the TEKS?

The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the learning standards for Texas students. The science TEKS

  • provide clear, concise statements of what students should know and be able to do;
  • encourage schools to select instructional approaches best suited to their local needs;
  • focus in great depth on selected topics at each grade level;
  • provide students with the skills to solve complex problems related to the world outside of school;
  • provide content depth to ensure students' understanding of science in Grades K-12; and
  • move cautiously, but meaningfully, toward a world-class system that develops Texas students as competent, technologically-literate problem solvers.

Q: Why were the TEKS developed?

In response to a mandated five-year review of the state's learning standards the 74th Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1 calling for the State Board of Education to adopt "Essential Knowledge and Skills" as the required curriculum for Texas students. This required curriculum was to consist of

  • a foundation curriculum that included English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies; and
  • an enrichment curriculum that included languages other than English, health, physical education, fine arts, economics, career and technology education, and technology applications.

The Essential Knowledge and Skills in the foundation curriculum which, according to state law, are required for instruction, will also continue to serve as the basis for textbook selection and state assessments. Those in the enrichment curriculum will serve as instructional guidelines to schools. The State Board of Education determined that the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills as required by Senate Bill 1 would clarify what all students should know and be able to do.

Q: When did the TEKS go into effect?

The TEKs became effective on September 1, 1998.

Q: What is contained in the Introduction to the science TEKS?

The Introduction contains a brief description of the scope of the science TEKS for each grade level or course. It also contains a description of the unifying concepts around which the science TEKS are based. These unifying concepts are Systems; Properties, Patterns, and Models; Constancy and Change; and Form and Function. The following scientific principle is an example

A system is a collection of cycles, structures, and processes that interact. Students should understand a whole in terms of its components and how these components relate to each other and to the whole. All systems have basic properties that can be described in terms of space, time, energy, and matter. Change and constancy occur in systems and can be observed and measured as patterns. These patterns help to predict what will happen next and can change over time.

Q: What are the Knowledge and Skills Statements?

Knowledge and Skills Statements describe the content of a discipline and include the techniques, processes, and procedures that are applications of the knowledge of a discipline. They describe what a student will "know and be able to do." The following Knowledge and Skills Statement is an example:

Scientific concepts. The student knows that a system is a collection of cycles, structures, and processes that interact.

Q: What are the Student Expectations?

Student Expectations are examples of what students are expected to do to demonstrate their acquisition of knowledge and skills. The following Student Expectation is an example:

(A) describe some cycles, structures, and processes that are found in a simple system.

Q: Who developed the TEKS for science?

The science TEKS were developed by a team of teachers, curriculum specialists, higher education faculty, content experts, business representatives, and parents who were selected through a statewide competitive application process.

The science TEKS writing team members were

  • Sharron F. Acker, Denton ISD
  • Virginia P. Baxt, Governor's Appointee (Houston)
  • Kathy Bodner, Richardson ISD
  • Esther G. Buckley, Laredo ISD
  • Lucy C. Caballero, Hereford ISD
  • Robert L. Casao, Socorro ISD
  • Christina A. Castillo-Comer, Texas Education Agency (formerly San Antonio ISD)
  • Max M. Ceballos, Edinburg ISD
  • Birdia M. Churchwell, Retired (formerly Houston ISD)
  • Robert Beck Clark, Retired (formerly Texas A&M University)
  • Terry Contant, Conroe ISD
  • Cheryl L. Cowley, Sherman ISD (formerly Sulphur Springs ISD)
  • Betty C. Crocker, University of North Texas
  • Fred L. Fifer, Jr., Retired (formerly University of Texas at Dallas)
  • Kevin Fisher, Leuisville ISD (formerly Lubbock ISD)
  • Andrea S. Foster, University of Houston (formerly Texas A&M University)
  • Ben L. Freeman, South San Antonio ISD (formerly Region 20 ESC)
  • John M. Hardwick, Manor ISD (formerly Hays CISD)
  • Terri L. Hooper, Sabine Pass ISD
  • Jerry W. Keller (Deceased), Killeen ISD
  • Hylan B. Lyons, Marlow Industries (Dallas)
  • Cathy Mariotti Ezrailson, Conroe ISD
  • Cipriano Munoz, Northside ISD
  • Ann Murphey, Retired (formerly Region 18 ESC)
  • Sherrie A. Prague, Retired (formerly Irving ISD)
  • Shelly F. Principe, Hawkins ISD (formerly Tyler ISD)
  • Sherry L. Ryals, Beaumont ISD
  • Gipsy A. Schneider, Hawkins ISD
  • Bobbie A. Sparks, Retired (formerly Harris County Department of Education)
  • Roger Stryker, Austin ISD
  • Carol L. Stuessy, Texas A&M University
  • Shelley Sweatt, Burkburnett ISD
  • Dorothy R. Thompson, Grand Prairie ISD
  • Diann Valentine, Huntsville ISD
  • Theresa Weeks, Sweeny ISD
  • Vanessa Westbrook, Charles A. Dana Center (formerly Fort Worth ISD)
  • Xandra Williams-Earlie, Aldine ISD
  • Roberta M. Young, Arlington ISD
  • Sam J. Zigrossi, Charles A. Dana Center (formerly IBM Corporation)

Science TEKS writing team members by education service center region:

  • Region 1: Esther Buckley, Max Ceballos
  • Region 2: Theresa Weeks
  • Region 4: Virginia Baxt, Birdia Churchwell, Xandra Williams-Earlie
  • Region 5: Cheryl Cowley, Terri Hooper, Sherry Ryals
  • Region 6: Robert Clark, Terry Contant, Carol Stuessy, Diann Valentine
  • Region 7: Shelley Principe, Gipsy Schneider
  • Region 9: Shelley Sweatt
  • Region 10: Kathy Bodner, Fred Fifer, Hylan Lyon, Sherry Prague, Dorothy Thompson
  • Region 11: Sharron Acker, Betty Crocker, Vanessa Westbrook, Roberta Young
  • Region 12: Jerry Keller
  • Region 13: Roger Stryker, Sam Zigrossi
  • Region 15: Patricia Garner
  • Region 16: Lucy Caballero
  • Region 17: Kevin Fisher
  • Region 18: Ann Murphey
  • Region 19: Robert Casao, Dora Martinez
  • Region 20: Chris Castillo-Comer, Andrea Foster, Cipriano Munoz

Writing team composition:

  • Classroom teachers (22)
  • Science coordinators (6)
  • Instructional consultant, ESC (1)
  • Business representatives (2)
  • University representatives (4)
  • Parent (1)
  • Doctoral student (1)

Total number on writing team: 37

Writing team ethnicity/gender:

  • White (25)
  • Hispanic (8)
  • African American (4)
  • Male (10)
  • Female (27)