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The science web page provides clarification, guidance, and support to science stakeholders for the development and implementation of the K–12 science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and science graduation requirements.

Announcements

TEKS Guide Updated with Breakouts  

The student expectations in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills have a specific grammatical structure.  They begin with “The student is expected to” followed by one or more verbs and phrases.  Breakouts are the tool by which a student expectation is separated into each component part.  Breakouts are provided in the TEKS Guide to help educators connect the instruction provided in the classroom to each component of a student expectation.  To access the breakouts, navigate to the alignments section of any student expectation and select "Breakout" from the dropdown menu. To view all the components of a student expectation, use the “+” symbol to expand the sentence after each grammatical divide. 

Visit for more information. 

Science TEKS

The links below provide access to the web-based version of the Science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which are the state standards for what students should know and be able to do. You can also access a PDF version of the TEKS. į

Resources for Science TEKS

The Texas Education Agency has developed the following resources to support the science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

 

The Science is a teacher-support resource designed to provide a consistent and clear interpretation of the science TEKS so that all science educators in Texas have the same understanding of the standards. Use the drop-down menus in the TEKS Guide to select Science and a grade level or course.

The grade-level Side by Side TEKS documents show the alignment between the 2021 TEKS and the 2017 TEKS, including language added or removed from the standards and notes about where content moved.  These assist educators in determining which instructional materials may still be helpful and which may be helpful at a different grade level. 

 

The K–12 content vertical alignment documents show the alignment of concepts by topic area. The standards have been organized into four broad scientific disciplines: biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics. The K–12 Scientific and Engineering Practices and Recurring Themes and Concepts vertical alignment document shows the progression of practices and themes through the grade levels.

Purpose of the STEM Toolkit:

The Texas Education Agency has developed a full collection of tools to support districts in developing a local STEM program aligned to the high-quality indicators identified by the state. The STEM tools are designed to support a district in planning and implementing a PK–12 STEM program aligned to the Texas STEM Framework.

Purpose of this Collection of STEM One-Pagers:

The Texas Education Agency has developed a collection of STEM one-pagers that support STEM concepts in the science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). These resources can be used to communicate STEM concepts in the science Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to students, educators, and the community. 

Safety in the Science Classroom

The Texas education agency has developed resources to support districts with science safety. In addition to resources, this section includes outside resources.

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the nation's highest honors for teachers of mathematics, science, computer science, engineering, and technology applications. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in improving mathematics, science, and STEM education. Since 1983, more than 5,500 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and the teaching profession. The National Science Foundation (NSF), which manages PAEMST on behalf of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), provides each awardee $10,000. For more information about the PAEMST program, please visit the website. 

Below are Texas’s most recent finalists and recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.  Awardee profiles from all jurisdictions can be accessed via the PAEMST Awardees page.

Voke Ogueh, for her work as a computer science teacher at Hastings High School, Alief ISD, in Houston, TX. Additional information on the announcement for Mrs. Garrett is available on her (outside source).

Shatara White, for her work as a grade 6 science teacher at Tomball Intermediate in Tomball ISD, Tomball, TX. Additional information on the announcement for Mrs. Garrett is available on her (outside source).

Fatimah Fotouh Aboueisha,