Texas Administrative Code › Title 19 - EDUCATION › Part 2 - TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY › Chapter 113 - TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES › Subchapter C - HIGH SCHOOL › Section 113.44 - United States Government (One-Half Credit), Adopted 2022

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Implementation. The provisions of this
				  section shall be implemented by school districts beginning with the 2024-2025
				  school year.
(b) General
				  requirements. Students shall be awarded one-half unit of credit for successful
				  completion of this course.
(c)
				  Introduction.
(1) In United States
				  Government, the focus is on the principles and beliefs upon which the United
				  States was founded and on the structure, functions, and powers of government at
				  the national, state, and local levels. This course is the culmination of the
				  civic and governmental content and concepts studied from Kindergarten through
				  required secondary courses. Students learn major political ideas and forms of
				  government in history. A significant focus of the course is on the U.S.
				  Constitution, its underlying principles and ideas, and the form of government
				  it created. Students analyze major concepts of republicanism, federalism,
				  checks and balances, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual
				  rights and compare the U.S. system of government with other political systems.
				  Students identify the role of government in the U.S. free enterprise system and
				  examine the strategic importance of places to the United States. Students
				  analyze the impact of individuals, political parties, interest groups, and the
				  media on the American political system, evaluate the importance of voluntary
				  individual participation in a constitutional republic, and analyze the rights
				  guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Students examine the relationship between
				  governmental policies and the culture of the United States. Students identify
				  examples of government policies that encourage scientific research and use
				  critical-thinking skills to create a product on a contemporary government
				  issue.
(2) To support the teaching
				  of the essential knowledge and skills, the use of a variety of rich primary and
				  secondary source material such as the complete text of the U.S. Constitution,
				  selected Federalist Papers, landmark cases of the U.S. Supreme Court (such as
				  those studied in Grade 8 and U.S. History Since 1877), biographies,
				  autobiographies, memoirs, speeches, letters, and periodicals that feature
				  analyses of political issues and events is encouraged.
(3) The eight strands of the essential
				  knowledge and skills for social studies are intended to be integrated for
				  instructional purposes. Skills listed in the social studies skills strand in
				  subsection (d) of this section should be incorporated into the teaching of all
				  essential knowledge and skills for social studies. A greater depth of
				  understanding of complex content material can be attained when integrated
				  social studies content from the various disciplines and critical-thinking
				  skills are taught together. Statements that contain the word "including"
				  reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase
				  "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(4) Students identify the role of the U.S.
				  free enterprise system within the parameters of this course and understand that
				  this system may also be referenced as capitalism or the free market
				  system.
(5) Throughout social
				  studies in Kindergarten-Grade 12, students build a foundation in history;
				  geography; economics; government; citizenship; culture; science, technology,
				  and society; and social studies skills. The content, as appropriate for the
				  grade level or course, enables students to understand the importance of
				  patriotism, function in a free enterprise society, and appreciate the basic
				  democratic values of our state and nation as referenced in the Texas Education
				  Code (TEC), §28.002(h).
(6)
				  Students understand that a constitutional republic is a representative form of
				  government whose representatives derive their authority from the consent of the
				  governed, serve for an established tenure, and are sworn to uphold the
				  constitution.
(7) State and federal
				  laws mandate a variety of celebrations and observances, including Celebrate
				  Freedom Week.
(A) Each social studies class
				  shall include, during Celebrate Freedom Week as provided under the TEC, §
												29.907, or during
				  another full school week as determined by the board of trustees of a school
				  district, appropriate instruction concerning the intent, meaning, and
				  importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution,
				  including the Bill of Rights, in their historical contexts. The study of the
				  Declaration of Independence must include the study of the relationship of the
				  ideas expressed in that document to subsequent American history, including the
				  relationship of its ideas to the rich diversity of our people as a nation of
				  immigrants, the American Revolution, the formulation of the U.S. Constitution,
				  and the abolitionist movement, which led to the Emancipation Proclamation and
				  the women's suffrage movement.
(B)
				  Each school district shall require that, during Celebrate Freedom Week or other
				  week of instruction prescribed under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph,
				  students in Grades 3-12 study and recite the following text from the
				  Declaration of Independence: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all
				  Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
				  unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of
				  Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men,
				  deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed."
(8) Students discuss how and
				  whether the actions of U.S. citizens and the local, state, and federal
				  governments have achieved the ideals espoused in the founding
				  documents.