The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is inviting public comment on the Perkins V State Plan developed pursuant to the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act signed by the president on July 31, 2018. The Perkins V State Plan, as well as instructions for submitting public comments, are available on the TEA website at https://tea.texas.gov/cte. 

TEA will accept written comments pertaining to the Perkins V State Plan by mail to the TEA Division of College, Career, and Military Preparation, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701-1494 or by email to ccmp@tea.texas.gov. Comments on the plan narrative must be submitted by Monday, March 31, 2024. Comments on the State Determined Performance Levels, found in Section V of the plan, must be submitted by Tuesday, April 9, 2024. 

At the January-February 2024 meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) approved for first reading and filing authorization proposed new TEKS for a set of career and technical education (CTE) courses from the agribusiness, animal science, plant science, and aviation maintenance programs of study as well as two CTE courses that satisfy a science graduation requirement. The SBOE is scheduled to consider the proposed new TEKS for second reading and final adoption at its April 2024 meeting. 

The official public comment period for the proposed new CTE TEKS is now open. To view the proposed revisions and submit public comments, visit http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/Laws_and_Rules/SBOE_Rules_(TAC)/Proposed_State_Board_of_Education_Rules/. 

Public comments are shared with SBOE members each week during the public comment period. Providing feedback early in the process is the best way to ensure that your feedback may impact the final draft. Specific, actionable feedback submitted early in the 30-day timeframe provides SBOE members with more information and time to consider the comment.  

Public Comment Period: March 1, 2024–April 1, 2024 

Earliest Possible Date of Adoption: April 2024 SBOE meeting 

The courses in the public comment period included the following:  

Agribusiness  

• Agribusiness Management and Marketing  
• Agriculture Leadership, Research, and Communications  
• Extended Practicum in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources  
• Practicum in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources  
• Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources  
• Professional Standards and Communication in Agribusiness  

Animal Science  

• Advanced Animal Science  
• Equine Science  
• Livestock & Poultry Production (currently titled Livestock Production) 
• Small Animal Management  
• Veterinary Science (currently titled Veterinary Medical Applications) 

Plant Science  

• Advanced Floral Design  
• Advanced Plant and Soil Science  
• Floral Design  
• Greenhouse Operation and Production  
• Horticultural Science  
• Viticulture  

Aviation Maintenance  

• Aircraft Airframe Technology  
• Aircraft Powerplant Technology  
• Aircraft Maintenance Technology 
• Introduction to Aircraft Technology  
• Advanced Transportation Systems Laboratory 

CTE Courses that Satisfy a Science Graduation Requirement  

• Applied Physics and Engineering (currently titled Principles of Technology) 
• Scientific Research and Design 

The State Board of Education (SBOE) approved new TEKS for eight career and technical education courses in career preparation and entrepreneurship. 

The SBOE adopted TEKS for four new courses in entrepreneurship: 

• Entrepreneurship I  
• Entrepreneurship II  
• Practicum in Entrepreneurship  
• Extended Practicum in Entrepreneurship 

Additionally, the SBOE adopted new TEKS for a project-based course, Career and Technical Education Project-Based Capstone, and the following career preparation courses:  

• Career Preparation General 
• Career Preparation for Programs of Study 
• Extended Career Preparation 

Career Preparation General provides students with an option to earn state elective credit for employment experiences that may be in a career field or industry outside a student’s program of study. Career Preparation for Programs of Study is a Level 4 course option for multiple programs of study. A student’s employment experience connected with this course must be related to the student’s program of study. Extended Career Preparation is a one-credit course that can be paired with either new course. Career and Technical Education Project-Based Capstone will replace the existing Project-Based Research course. 

The new CTE TEKS are scheduled to be implemented in classrooms beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. The new TEKS are available in the Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, with “Adopted 2023” in the title.  

To view the TEKS for the entrepreneurship courses, visit 19 TAC, Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter F, Business, Finance, and Marketing. 

To view the TEKS for Career and Technical Education Project-Based Capstone and the career preparation courses, visit 19 TAC, Chapter 127, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical Education, Subchapter B, High School. 

To overcome recruiting challenges and better prepare future soldiers for initial basic training success, the U.S. Army and Navy have established preparatory courses to provide assistance to aspiring military personnel to meet the entry-level Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) score and/or physical fitness requirements before entering basic training. For more information about the Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course, see the article Future Soldier Preparatory Course marks 1-year anniversary, provides path to service, contact a local Army recruiting center, or visit https://goarmy.com. For additional information about the Navy’s Future Sailor Preparatory Course, see the article Navy prep course aims to launch hundreds of recruits into the fleet, contact a local Navy recruiting center, or visit https://www.navy.com/. 

TEA is seeking educators and subject-matter experts across Texas to serve as instructional materials reviewers for the new IMRA review process.  

Selected reviewers will earn extra income while making a statewide impact. Reviewers will work in small teams to conduct quality reviews and collaborate with other educators to produce ratings and reports for assigned reading language arts, phonics, and mathematics products.   

If you or your colleagues want to participate in the IMRA review process, please apply through this link: Quality Reviewer for IMRA Spring 2024: Initial Application (jotform.com).