Episode 113 - bonus

Major Updates to the Texas Social Studies TEKS: What K–8 Teachers Need to Know

Published on: 13th September, 2025

In this bonus episode of The Social Studies Teacher Podcast, I’m giving you a timely update on some major news out of Texas. The State Board of Education has officially voted on big changes to the K–8 Social Studies TEKS, shifting to a chronological approach and creating a brand-new framework for how we teach history, geography, government, and culture. It is expected that these standards are put into effect beginning 2030.

I’ll walk you through:

  • The highlights of the SBOE’s September 2025 meeting
  • How each grade (K–8) will change under the new proposal
  • The move from 8 strands down to 5 strands
  • The timeline for implementation (likely 2030)
  • What this means for your classroom right now

If you’re a Texas teacher (or just curious about curriculum changes), this episode will help you feel prepared and confident. And don’t worry- my Smart & Simple Social Studies resources are fully aligned with the current TEKS, and I’ll continue to update everything when the time comes!

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Mentioned in this episode:

5 Social Studies Guided Notes

Get guided notes covering 5 common social studies topics that are low-prep and easy to use as reference guides, anchor charts, and more!

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Social Studies Guided Curriculum

Easy-to-follow lesson plans and activities for social studies - just print and teach! The complete bundles for Communities, Texas History, and U.S. History are available. Click the link to learn more!

Learn more about the Smart and Simple Social Studies Guided Curriculum!

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About the Podcast

The Social Studies Teacher Podcast
Social Studies Strategies, Tips, and Ideas for Upper Elementary Teachers
Are you an upper elementary educator looking for simple strategies that will help make teaching social studies easy and fun? This podcast is perfect for 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade teachers and parents who want to maximize their time and bring social studies to life in their classrooms!

Your host, Kirsten of The Southern Teach, is a mom and educator with over a decade of experience teaching in the classroom. She is all about simple and actionable strategies that result in wins, big or small.

Each week, she'll share a variety of tips on integrating social studies with other subjects, teaching accurate and culturally-relevant social studies topics, lesson and resource ideas, and more! Listen in for ways to make teaching social studies manageable, fun, and best of all - rewarding for both you and your kids!