Everything You Need To Know About The Texas TEKS – With Changes To Social Studies Curriculum

It’s hard to keep up with changes with Texas curriculum and STAAR testing. Here’s how to start your year off right with accurate updates to the Texas Social Studies Standards.

What Are The Texas Social Studies TEKS?

The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the state standards for what students should know and be able to do in each subject of the required curriculum. The State Board of Education (SBOE) has legislative authority to adopt the TEKS for each subject of the required curriculum, including social studies.

You can view the most recent Texas Social Studies TEKS online.

The TEKS for Social Studies generally includes the following subjects at different grade levels:

History: This includes studying world history, U.S. history, and Texas history. Students learn about historical events, figures, and concepts.
Geography: Students learn about the physical and cultural characteristics of different regions and the relationship between people and their environments.
Government and Civics: This subject covers the study of governmental systems, political processes, the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and the structure and functions of local, state, and federal governments.
Economics: Students learn about economic concepts such as supply and demand, market systems, personal finance, and the role of government in the economy.

Culture and Society: This involves the study of different cultures, social institutions, cultural diversity, and how societies have changed over time.

Changes To Social Studies TEKS For 2024

During the November 2022 meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) made important updates to the social studies TEKS to ensure alignment with recent legislative requirements. These revisions specifically targeted the standards for the following courses:

Kindergarten- 8th Grade Social Studies
Economics
United States History Studies Since 1877
World History Studies
World Geography Studies
United States Government

These updates ensure that the social studies curriculum reflects the most current legislative guidelines and provides students with a comprehensive understanding of these subjects. By incorporating the changes mandated by the legislature, teachers can equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in today’s society.

These revised social studies TEKS will go into effect starting from the 2024-2025 school year. You will need to update many of your current classroom materials so that they can align with the new Texas social studies curriculum.

The following changes to the social studies TEKS will take effect on August 1, 2024:

- Adopted Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 113. Social Studies, Subchapters A-C

Texas STAAR Social Studies Resources

The TEA has recently released test prep resources for the Texas STAAR Social Studies test.

Grade 8 Social Studies Texas STAAR

Grade 8 Social Studies Constructed Response Scoring Guide (10/12/2022)
Grade 8 Social Studies Assessed Curriculum (updated 07/19/19)
Grade 8 Social Studies Blueprint (updated 08/17/22)

Grade 8 Social Studies Performance Level Descriptors (updated 08/02/19)

U.S. History STAAR

U.S. History Constructed Response Scoring Guide (10/12/2022)
U.S. History Assessed Curriculum (updated 07/19/19)
U.S. History Blueprint (updated 08/17/22)
Performance Level Descriptors (updated 08/02/19)

Civics Items Guidance (PDF posted 10/10/22)

You can view TeacherMade’s complete guide to Texas STAAR here.

How Can Teachers Use TeacherMade For Texas Social Studies?

Texas Social Studies Teachers can use TeacherMade to create authentic assignments and assessment that simulate question types on the Texas STAAR.

Use what you have. Transform your existing Google Slides, Docs, and other PDFs into interactive activities in minutes. Or construct digital activities from scratch. The choice is yours.
Prevent teacher burnout with auto-grading. Regain your nights and weekends. 20+ question types are auto-graded for you. Scores flow straight into your online grade book! Even student constructed responses are graded more easily in TeacherMade.

Measure what your students know. Students engage more deeply with the curriculum when they get instant feedback via the ‘Check My Answers’ button. Turn learning loss into gains.