ATC Texas Curriculum Standards (TEKS) 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does TEKS stand for in Texas education?
- Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (Correct answer)
- Texas Educator Knowledge Standards
- Texas Examination Key Skills
- Texas Educational Curriculum Standards
Correct answer: Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
TEKS stands for Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the state-mandated curriculum standards that define what students in Texas public schools should know and be able to do.
Question 2: Which body is responsible for adopting and revising the TEKS in Texas?
- Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) (Correct answer)
- Texas Education Agency (TEA)
- Texas Legislature
- State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)
Correct answer: Texas State Board of Education (SBOE)
The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is the elected 15-member board with statutory authority to adopt curriculum standards (TEKS) for Texas public schools.
Question 3: How should an ATC teacher use the TEKS when writing lesson plans?
- Identify the specific TEKS student expectations being addressed and align objectives, instruction, and assessment to them (Correct answer)
- Use TEKS only for annual summative testing
- Reference TEKS only in IEP meetings
- Follow the textbook sequence regardless of TEKS alignment
Correct answer: Identify the specific TEKS student expectations being addressed and align objectives, instruction, and assessment to them
Effective lesson planning requires identifying the precise TEKS student expectations and designing objectives, instructional activities, and assessments that directly address those standards.
Question 4: Which Texas standardized assessment is directly aligned to the TEKS?
- STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) (Correct answer)
- SAT
- ACT
- NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
Correct answer: STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness)
STAAR is the state assessment program in Texas that measures student mastery of the TEKS at designated grade levels and in specific subject areas.
Question 5: In the TEKS document structure, what is a 'student expectation'?
- A specific, measurable skill or concept a student must demonstrate at a given grade level (Correct answer)
- A general goal statement for the entire grade band
- A district-level benchmark target
- A college readiness indicator only
Correct answer: A specific, measurable skill or concept a student must demonstrate at a given grade level
Student expectations are the granular, assessable components of the TEKS that describe exactly what students should know or be able to do within a broader standard.
Question 6: Why must ATC teachers in Texas understand vertical alignment of the TEKS?
- To know what students learned in prior grades and what they will need to know in future grades (Correct answer)
- To align pay scales with years of experience
- To ensure textbooks are purchased for all grade levels
- To comply with federal No Child Left Behind requirements
Correct answer: To know what students learned in prior grades and what they will need to know in future grades
Vertical alignment knowledge allows teachers to build on prior learning and scaffold toward future expectations, creating coherent learning progressions for students.
ATC Texas Curriculum Standards (TEKS) 1
What does TEKS stand for in Texas education?