Over the next few months, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) will make decisions with profound implications for the future of history and social studies instruction in Texas public schools.
When it meets in Austin during the week of November 17, 2025, the SBOE will discuss the process for revising the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards for social studies. This meeting provides an important opportunity for supporters of public education to encourage the SBOE to follow Texas law and develop social studies TEKS that are responsive to the needs of all Texans, grounded in honest history, and designed to support educators in preparing students for success.
The SBOE had chosen an unusual and radically restructured new framework that significantly reduces coverage of US and world history in the standards. For more information, about the ongoing TEKS revision and the implications of these changes, consult the AHA’s Field Guide.
How You Can Help
The SBOE has scheduled its discussion of the social studies TEKS (including public testimony) for Wednesday November 19, 2025. We encourage all Texas residents to submit testimony, either in person or via email, and contact your elected officials to share concerns about attempts to politicize the social studies TEKS.
- In order to testify in person on November 19, you must register in advance using the form near the bottom of this webpage. Online registration closes at 5:00 p.m. CT on Friday, November 14. Late registration is available on-site up to 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
- Written testimony may be submitted via email (testimony@sboe.texas.gov).
- Consider sharing concerns, questions, or comments directly with your state elected officials.
Qualified Texans can now apply to serve on a work group to help draft new social studies learning standards, including history standards. Below are the application details from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). There is no deadline, but your application is more likely to be fully considered if you submitted it as soon as possible.
- To access the application and for more information regarding the K–12 social studies TEKS review, please visit the SBOE Social Studies TEKS Review 2025 webpage.
Individuals interested in applying can also access the application at Social Studies Work Group Application. Questions regarding the application or TEKS review process may be emailed to teks@tea.texas.gov.