Click here to read full January 25, 2010, TEA Correspondence:  Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74. Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter E, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2004-2005, and Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008

On January 15, 2010, the State Board of Education adopted amendments to the graduation requirements. The new requirements are effective beginning in the 2010-11 school year. School districts retain the authority to add requirements beyond what is required in state law and rule for graduation. Changes applicable to all three graduation programs include the following:

1. Students are no longer required to complete the one-half credit in health.
2. Students are no longer required to complete the one credit in technology applications.
3. The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Professional Communications course was added as an option for students to satisfy the speech requirement.
4. The CTE Principles and Elements of Floral Design course was added as an option for students to satisfy the fine arts credit.
5. Students are now required to complete only one credit in physical education (P.E.) and are no longer required to complete the Foundations of Personal Fitness course as part of that credit.
6. The following courses will be expanded to be one-half to one credit each: Foundations of Personal Fitness; Adventure/Outdoor Education; Aerobic Activities; and Team or Individual Sports. Students may satisfy the one credit of P.E. by taking any combination of these courses.
7. Students may earn credit for any of the P.E. courses listed above through participation in athletics, JROTC, or appropriate private or commercially-sponsored physical activity programs conducted on or off campus for up to four credits toward graduation.
8. Students may earn up to one credit for any of the P.E. courses listed above through participation in Drill Team, Marching Band, or Cheerleading. In order for a student to earn credit for one of these activities, the activity must include at least 100 minutes per five-day school week of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
9. Students may no longer substitute Dance or two- or three-credit career and technology work-based training courses for P.E. credit.
10.  Students who earned their P.E. credit through a Dance or CTE substitution prior to the start of the 2010-11 school year will still get credit for that substitution.
11. Credit may not be earned for any P.E. course more than once and no more than four substitutions may be earned through any combination of allowable substitutions.