SECTION 74.1. Essential Knowledge and Skills

(a) A school district that offers kindergarten through Grade 12 must offer the following as a required curriculum:

(1) a foundation curriculum that includes:

(A) English language arts;

(B) mathematics;

(C) science; and

(D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United States and world history, government, geography, and economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits; and

(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:

(A) to the extent possible, languages other than English;

(B) health, with emphasis on:

(i) physical health, including the importance of proper nutrition and exercise;

(ii) mental health, including instruction about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making; and

(iii) suicide prevention, including recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;

(C) physical education;

(D) fine arts;

(E) career and technical education;

(F) technology applications;

(G) religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature; and

(H) personal financial literacy.

(b) A school district must provide instruction in the essential knowledge and skills of the appropriate grade levels in the foundation and enrichment curriculum as specified in paragraphs (1)-(12) of this subsection. A school district may add elements at its discretion but must not delete or omit instruction in the foundation and enrichment curriculum specified in subsection (a) of this section.

(1) Chapter 110 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading).

(2) Chapter 111 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics).

(3) Chapter 112 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science).

(4) Chapter 113 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies).

(5) Chapter 114 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than English).

(6) Chapter 115 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education).

(7) Chapter 116 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Physical Education).

(8) Chapter 117 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts).

(9) Chapter 126 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Technology Applications).

(10) Chapter 127 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development).

(11) Chapter 128 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and English as a Second Language).

(12) Chapter 130 of this title (relating to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education).

Source Note: The provisions of this §74.1 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 4311; amended to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 5675; amended to be effective October 3, 2004, 29 TexReg 9185; amended to be effective January 9, 2007, 32 TexReg 80; amended to be effective April 21, 2010, 35 TexReg 3028; amended to be effective May 30, 2012, 37 TexReg 3808; amended to be effective June 18, 2014, 39 TexReg 4652; amended to be effective October 25, 2020, 45 TexReg 7421