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Day 1: MS-to-HS Transition + Texas Endorsements

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Understand the Texas Foundation High School Program structure; identify the endorsement that matches the chosen pathway; recognize which standardized tests apply to the chosen postsecondary plan
TEKS d(3)(A), d(3)(E)
Deliverable Completed MS-to-HS Transition worksheet showing chosen endorsement, top 2 HS courses for the pathway, and the most relevant standardized test
Materials Chromebooks, Texas OnCourse access, Irving ISD CTE Pathways poster, printed MS-to-HS Transition worksheet, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: Name one thing you have heard about high school that worries you AND one thing you are excited about. Write both.

Take 4-5 student responses. Validate both the worry and the excitement. Bridge: high school decisions get made in 8th grade. The 9th-grade course you pick determines what is available to you in 10th, 11th, and 12th, so the planning we do today actually matters.

Activity 1: Texas Foundation HS Program Overview (15 min)

Source: Texas Education Agency Foundation High School Program

Project a one-page summary of the Texas Foundation HS Program. Walk students through the structure:

  • 22 credits required to graduate in Texas
  • 4 English credits (English I, II, III, IV)
  • 4 math credits (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II + 1 advanced math)
  • 4 science credits (Biology, IPC or Chemistry + 2 advanced)
  • 4 social studies credits (World Geography or History, US History, Government, Economics)
  • 2 language other than English credits (usually Spanish I & II)
  • 1 PE + 1 Fine Arts
  • 5+ elective credits: this is where CTE pathways live

The CTE elective credits are how students earn their pathway. Most pathways take 4-8 elective credits across 9th-12th grade.

Then introduce the 5 Texas endorsements: students must pick at least one to graduate under the standard plan:

  1. STEM: engineering, computer science, advanced math/science
  2. Business & Industry: manufacturing, IT, agriculture, marketing, transportation
  3. Public Services: health science, education, law enforcement, hospitality, human services
  4. Arts & Humanities: fine arts, world languages, social studies
  5. Multidisciplinary Studies: broader mix without a single specialization

Each Irving ISD CTE pathway maps to one of these endorsements. Students will use this match-up in the next activity.

Activity 2: Pathway-to-Endorsement Match (15 min)

Direct students to the Irving ISD CTE Pathways poster on the wall. Each student takes their Pathway Ranking Sheet from Week 1 Day 4 and identifies which endorsement matches their #1 pathway.

Pathway Most Likely Endorsement
Architecture, Civil Engineering, Drone Engineering, Robotics Manufacturing STEM
Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Programming STEM
Automotive, Diesel, Collision Repair, Welding, Construction Tech, Aviation Business & Industry
Business & Marketing, Sales Mgmt, Entrepreneurship, Real Estate Business & Industry
Nursing, Dental, Medical Billing, Biomedical Science Public Services
Law Enforcement, Teaching & Training, Early Childhood Ed, Cosmetology Public Services
Culinary Arts, Lodging & Resort, Digital Comms, Graphic Design Arts & Humanities or Business & Industry
Vet Science, Plant Science, Sustainable Engineering STEM or Business & Industry

Students record on their MS-to-HS Transition worksheet: - My #1 pathway: _ - The campus that offers it: - The endorsement that matches: __ - Two CTE courses I might take in 9th and 10th grade: _____ (use Texas OnCourse to verify)

[VERIFY] Students access texasoncourse.org and search for sample course sequences for their endorsement. The Texas OnCourse "MapMyGrad" tool offers visual course mapping examples, confirm the current URL with your district counselor before class.

Facilitation Tip

A few students will discover their pathway is NOT at their geographically-assigned high school. This is the moment to teach them about Irving ISD's choice/transfer system. Direct them to talk to their counselor about applying for the campus that offers their pathway.

Activity 3: Standardized Testing — What Matters for Me (12 min)

Walk students through the standardized tests they will hear about in high school:

  • PSAT: practice for the SAT, taken in 10th and 11th grade. National Merit Scholarship qualifier.
  • SAT / ACT: used for college admissions. Most Texas colleges accept both.
  • TSI (Texas Success Initiative): required for students entering Texas community colleges and 4-year universities to test into college-level courses.
  • ASVAB: required for military enlistment. Tests math, vocabulary, mechanical reasoning, electronics. Used to qualify for military jobs.
  • Industry Certifications: many CTE pathways end with an industry exam (e.g., FAA Part 107 for drones, ASE for automotive, AutoDesk Revit for architecture).

Students mark on their worksheet which test is most relevant to their postsecondary plan: - College-bound → SAT, ACT, TSI - Military pathway → ASVAB - Trades/CTE pathway → Industry certification + TSI if pursuing community college

DOK 2: How would you explain the difference between the SAT and the TSI to a student who has never heard of either?

Exit Ticket (3 min)

EXIT TICKET (Short Constructed Response) · Printable PDF:

  1. My #1 Irving ISD pathway (from Wk 1): _____

  2. The Texas endorsement that matches (circle one): STEM / Business & Industry / Public Services / Arts & Humanities / Multidisciplinary

  3. Two 9th-10th grade CTE courses my pathway requires (use Texas OnCourse or the Irving ISD CTE poster):

  4. 9th: _____

  5. 10th: _____

  6. The ONE standardized test most relevant to my postsecondary plan (circle one): PSAT / SAT / ACT / TSI / ASVAB / industry certification

  7. In one sentence, why does THIS test matter for the pathway I picked?

(d(3)(A), d(3)(E))

Differentiation

  • Support: Pre-filled worksheet with the endorsement options visible as a checklist. Students just check the matching endorsement instead of writing it. Pair with a peer to find the pathway on the wall poster.
  • Extension: Research the specific industry certification their pathway leads to (FAA Part 107, ASE, Revit, CCNA, etc.): find the exam cost, age requirement, and what it qualifies them to do.
  • ELL: Bilingual MS-to-HS worksheet with Spanish endorsement names: STEM = STEM, Business & Industry = Negocios e Industria, Public Services = Servicios Públicos, Arts & Humanities = Artes y Humanidades, Multidisciplinary = Multidisciplinario.