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- TEKS in Focus
- Technology Application TEKS Guide is Live
Updates Across the Agency:
How helpful is the information in this newsletter?
 TEKS in Focus highlights key concepts and student expectations to assist educators in implementing the science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The newest TEKS in Focus series will use information from the Science TEKS Guide to highlight scientific and engineering practices along a vertical continuum from elementary school to high school.
This issue of TEKS in Focus highlights the vertical development of student expectation 1.A.
Technology Applications TEKS Guide is Live
The Technology Applications TEKS Guide provides educators across the state with a common understanding of the technology applications standards, including a deep dive into each standard, vertical alignments, and cross-curricular connections with core and enrichment content areas. TEA will have webinars to support educators in navigating the TEKS Guide and using the components effectively. Registration links have been provided below by session focus. Future engagement sessions will be announced through newsletters.
Week of August 11-15, 2025:
TEKS Guide 101 Grades K–2
August 11, 2025 from 3:30-4:30 P.M. (Central) Registration
TEKS Guide 101 Grades 3–5
August 13, 2025 from 3:30-4:30 P.M. (Central) Registration
TEKS Guide 101 Grades 6–8
August 14, 2025 from 4:00-5:00 P.M. (Central) Registration
Week of August 18-22, 2025:
TEKS Guide 101 Administrators
August 20, 2025 from 1:30-2:30 P.M. (Central) Registration
TEKS Guide 101 Grades K–2 (Repeat Session)
August 20, 2025 from 3:30-4:30 P.M. (Central) Registration
TEKS Guide 101 Grades 3–5 (Repeat Session)
August 21, 2025 from 3:30-4:30 P.M. (Central) Registration
TEKS Guide 101 Grades 6–8 (Repeat Session)
August 21, 2025 from 4:30-5:30 P.M. (Central) Registration
Updates Across the Agency:
Public Review and Feedback on Substitutions and Content Updates to Science Instructional Materials
The State Board of Education (SBOE) requires that all proposed substitutions and content updates to SBOE-adopted materials be made available for public review and comment prior to consideration by the SBOE.
The Substitutions and Content Updates webpage has been updated with a request from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to update content in their adopted HMH Into Science Texas, grades 3–5 material, and from Accelerate Learning Inc. to update content in its STEMscopes Texas Science - Grades 6–8 and Biology material.
The public is invited to review and comment on the proposed content changes. Please submit an Instructional Materials help desk ticket if you need assistance.
Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) Course Offerings
Need help meeting a student’s course needs?
The Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) can help meet students’ needs through TEA-approved online courses. The TXVSN statewide course catalog provides science courses that may meet a student's graduation requirement.
The TXVSN courses are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and taught by Texas-certified teachers trained in best practices in online instruction. Schools can use the TXVSN courses to create flexibility in a student’s schedule, allow a student to accelerate their learning, or address local teacher shortages. Students enrolled in a TXVSN course can generate funding regardless of whether the student is physically present at school while participating in the course. For more information about the courses offered through the TXVSN, please visit the TXVSN website or contact the TXVSN Help Desk.
Science Documents Have Been Updated on the TEA Assessment Website
The "DRAFT" watermark has been removed from the Science Assessed Curriculum documents, Blueprints, and Middle School Reference Materials that go into effect beginning with the Spring 2026 administration. No additional updates were made to the documents after the update on January 15, 2025. Outdated documents from the transition year for elementary and middle school have been removed. Transition year documents remain in effect for Biology for the December 2025 administration; these documents will be removed after the December administration. All Science STAAR documents are available on the STAAR Science Resources webpage of the TEA website.
These links are provided by our colleagues in other parts of the Agency:
Student Assessment
Special Populations
Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Thank you for your commitment to serving Texas students.
Curriculum Science Team: Shawna Wiebusch, Liz Baker, and Carla Bailey
Help Desk: https://helpdesk.tea.texas.gov/
Phone: 512-463-9581
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