SECTION 74.3. Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum

(a) Middle Grades 6-8.

(1) A school district that offers Grades 6-8 must provide instruction in the required curriculum as specified in §74.1 of this title (relating to Essential Knowledge and Skills). The district must ensure that sufficient time is provided for teachers to teach and for students to learn English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, at least one of the four disciplines in fine arts (art, dance, music, theatre), health, physical education, technology applications, and to the extent possible, languages other than English. The school district may provide instruction in a variety of arrangements and settings, including mixed-age programs designed to permit flexible learning arrangements for developmentally appropriate instruction for all student populations to support student attainment of course and grade level standards.

(2) The school district must ensure that, beginning with students who enter Grade 6 in the 2010-2011 school year, each student completes one Texas essential knowledge and skills-based fine arts course in Grade 6, Grade 7, or Grade 8.

(3) A district shall offer and maintain evidence that students have the opportunity to take courses in at least three of the four disciplines in fine arts. The requirement to offer three of the four disciplines in fine arts may be reduced to two by the commissioner of education upon application of a school district with a total middle school enrollment of less than 250 students.

(b) Secondary Grades 9-12.

(1) A school district that offers Grades 9-12 must provide instruction in the required curriculum as specified in §74.1 of this title. The district must ensure that sufficient time is provided for teachers to teach and for students to learn the subjects in the required curriculum. The school district may provide instruction in a variety of arrangements and settings, including mixed-age programs designed to permit flexible learning arrangements for developmentally appropriate instruction for all student populations to support student attainment of course and grade level standards.

(2) The school district must offer the courses listed in this paragraph and maintain evidence that students have the opportunity to take these courses:

(A) English language arts--English I, II, III, and IV and at least one additional advanced English course;

(B) mathematics--Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Precalculus, and Mathematical Models with Applications;

(C) science--Integrated Physics and Chemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and at least two additional science courses selected from Aquatic Science, Astronomy, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Systems, Advanced Animal Science, Advanced Biotechnology, Advanced Plant and Soil Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Engineering Design and Problem Solving, Food Science, Forensic Science, Medical Microbiology, Pathophysiology, Scientific Research and Design, and Engineering Science. The requirement to offer two additional courses may be reduced to one by the commissioner of education upon application of a school district with a total high school enrollment of less than 500 students. Science courses shall include at least 40% hands-on laboratory investigations and field work using appropriate scientific inquiry;

(D) social studies--United States History Studies Since 1877, World History Studies, United States Government, World Geography Studies, Personal Financial Literacy, Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits, and Personal Financial Literacy and Economics. The requirement to offer both Economics with Emphasis on the Free Enterprise System and Its Benefits and Personal Financial Literacy and Economics may be reduced to one by the commissioner of education upon application of a school district with a total high school enrollment of less than 500 students;

(E) physical education--at least two courses selected from Lifetime Fitness and Wellness Pursuits, Lifetime Recreation and Outdoor Pursuits, or Skill-Based Lifetime Activities;

(F) fine arts--courses selected from at least two of the four fine arts areas (art, music, theatre, and dance)--Art I, II, III, IV; Music I, II, III, IV; Theatre I, II, III, IV; or Dance I, II, III, IV;

(G) career and technical education-- three or more career and technical education courses for four or more credits with at least one advanced course aligned with a specified number of Texas Education Agency-designated programs of study determined by enrollment as follows:

(i) one program of study for a district with fewer than 500 students enrolled in high school;

(ii) two programs of study for a district with 501-1,000 students enrolled in high school;

(iii) three programs of study for a district with 1,001-2,000 students enrolled in high school;

(iv) four programs of study for a district with 1,001-5,000 students enrolled in high school;

(v) five programs of study for a district with 5,001-10,000 students enrolled in high school; and

(vi) six programs of study for a district with more than 10,000 students enrolled in high school.

(H) languages other than English--Levels I, II, and III or higher of the same language;

(I) computer science--one course selected from Fundamentals of Computer Science, Computer Science I, or Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles; and

(J) speech--Communication Applications.

(3) Districts may offer additional courses from the complete list of courses approved by the State Board of Education to satisfy graduation requirements as referenced in this chapter.

(4) The school district must provide each student the opportunity to participate in all courses listed in subsection (b)(2) of this section. The district must provide students the opportunity each year to select courses in which they intend to participate from a list that includes all courses required to be offered in subsection (b)(2) of this section. If the school district will not offer the required courses every year, but intends to offer particular courses only every other year, it must notify all enrolled students of that fact. A school district must teach a course that is specifically required for high school graduation at least once in any two consecutive school years. For a subject that has an end-of-course assessment, the district must either teach the course every year or employ options described in Subchapter C of this chapter (relating to Other Provisions) to enable students to earn credit for the course and must maintain evidence that it is employing those options.

(5) For students entering Grade 9 beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, districts must ensure that one or more courses offered in the required curriculum for the recommended and advanced high school programs include a research writing component.

(c) Courses in the foundation and enrichment curriculum in Grades 6-12 must be provided in a manner that allows all grade promotion and high school graduation requirements to be met in a timely manner. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a district to offer a specific course in the foundation and enrichment curriculum except as required by this subsection.

Source Note: The provisions of this §74.3 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 4311; amended to be effective October 13, 1997, 22 TexReg 10129; amended to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 5675; amended to be effective September 1, 2001, 25 TexReg 7691; amended to be effective October 3, 2004, 29 TexReg 9185; amended to be effective January 9, 2007, 32 TexReg 80; amended to be effective December 23, 2009, 34 TexReg 9198; 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 August 24, 2015, 40 TexReg 5328;amended to be effective October 23, 2016, 41 TexReg 8196; amended to be effective October 25, 2020, 45 TexReg 7421; amended to be effective August 1, 2022, 47 TexReg 4501