1. (a) Implementation.

   1. (1) The provisions of this section shall be implemented by school districts beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
   2. (2) School districts shall implement the employability skills student expectations listed in §127.15(d)(2) of this chapter (relating to Career and Technical Education Employability Skills) as an integral part of this course.
2. (b) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 10-12. Prerequisites: At least one credit in a course from the Engineering or Energy Career Cluster. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course.

3. (c) Introduction.

   1. (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards, industry-relevant technical knowledge, and college and career readiness skills for students to further their education and succeed in current and emerging professions.
   2. (2) The Engineering Career Cluster focuses on planning, designing, testing, building, and maintaining machines, structures, materials, systems, and processes using empirical evidence and science, technology, and math principles. This career cluster includes occupations ranging from mechanical engineer and drafter to electrical engineer and mapping technician.
   3. (3) In Environmental Engineering, students research, develop, and design solutions related to water, land, and energy problems, with consideration to ethics and regulations. Using technology and the engineering design process, students devise innovative solutions to address current and future engineering challenges.
   4. (4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations, organizations that foster leadership and career development in the profession such as student chapters of related professional associations, and work-based experiences.
   5. (5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.

4. (d) Knowledge and skills.

   1. (1) The student understands how to implement an engineering design process to develop a product or solution. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) describe and implement the stages of an engineering design process to construct a model;
      2. (B) explain how factors, including complexity, scope, resources, ethics, regulations, manufacturability, maintainability, and technology, impact stages of the engineering design process;
      3. (C) explain how stakeholders impact an engineering design process; and
      4. (D) analyze how failure is often an essential component of the engineering design process.

   2. (2) The student explores the methods and aspects of project management in relation to projects. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and explain the process and phases of project management, including initiating, planning, executing, and closing;
      2. (B) explain the roles and responsibilities of team members, including project managers and leads;
      3. (C) research and evaluate methods and tools available for managing a project;
      4. (D) discuss the importance of developing and implementing a system for the organization of project documentation such as file naming conventions, document release control, and version control;
      5. (E) describe how project requirements, constraints, and deliverables impact the project schedule and influence and are influenced by an engineering design;
      6. (F) explain how a project budget, including materials, equipment, and labor, is developed and maintained; and
      7. (G) describe the importance of management of change (MOC) and how MOC applies to project planning.

   3. (3) Engineering ethics. The student applies ethical consideration to analyze resilient engineered systems. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) analyze the Texas Engineering Practices Act and explain how engineers demonstrate the responsibility they have to serve the public interest, their clients, and the profession with a high degree of honesty, integrity, and accountability;
      2. (B) research the New London school explosion and explain how this event led to the development of the Texas Engineering Practice Act and other regulations such as odorization of natural gas;
      3. (C) evaluate and explain an engineering ethical dilemma between environmental considerations and the needs and wants of society; and
      4. (D) explain how engineering solutions can have significantly different impacts on an individual, society, and the natural world.

   4. (4) Models. The student builds a model using the appropriate tools, materials, and techniques. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) identify and describe the steps needed to produce a model of a system such as hydrological, watershed management, or geospatial analysis models;
      2. (B) identify advantages and limitations of models such as size, scale, properties, and materials;
      3. (C) identify and use appropriate tools, equipment, and materials to produce a model;
      4. (D) describe the use of a model to accurately represent the key aspects of a physical system, including the identification of constraints such as cost, time, or expertise, that may influence the selection of a model;
      5. (E) develop a design proposal using a variety of media to produce a model; and
      6. (F) evaluate the successes and failures of a model in the context of an iterative design process.

   5. (5) Critical and creative problem-solving. The student examines environmental challenges and gathers assumptions to synthesize a meaningful, well-defined problem and ideates multiple solutions. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) collect, analyze, and interpret information relevant to an environmental engineering problem;
      2. (B) document a design process according to best practices in an engineering notebook;
      3. (C) identify and define visual, functional, and design requirements with realistic constraints against which solution alternatives can be evaluated;
      4. (D) list potential appropriate criteria for a defined problem that may impact the success of a design solution such as economic, environmental, ethical, health and safety, technical feasibility, and design;
      5. (E) represent concepts using a variety of visual tools such as sketches, graphs, and charts to communicate the details of an idea;
      6. (F) develop, design, and test alternatives to generate valid quantitative data to inform decision making and demonstrate solutions; and
      7. (G) explain why there are often multiple viable solutions.

   6. (6) Critical and creative problem-solving. The student selects the optimal design solution for real-world environmental problems based on engineering judgement. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) evaluate competing solutions paths using a decision matrix to compare solutions based on design criteria;
      2. (B) formulate a risk analysis matrix using a spreadsheet to evaluate threats and opportunities, including cost, time, and environmental impacts;
      3. (C) identify data needed to address an environmental engineering research question and the appropriate tools necessary to collect, record, analyze, and evaluate the data; and
      4. (D) evaluate evidence and arguments to identify deficiencies, limitations, and biases for appropriate next steps in the pursuit of a better solution.

   7. (7) Engineering tools and technology. The student uses a variety of techniques to measure and report quantities appropriate for an environmental analysis. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and determine appropriate units of measure, including acres, miles, and hectares, for environmental analysis;
      2. (B) measure and estimate a large-scale area such as a wetland, streamline, or floodplain using maps or digital resources;
      3. (C) perform dimensional analysis and unit conversions to transform data to units appropriate for a particular purpose or model; and
      4. (D) select and effectively use appropriate tools for accurately measuring specific volumes.

   8. (8) Water resources. The student analyzes environmental factors related to safe drinking water. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and describe the Texas State Water Plan, including the sources of water, floodplain management, and recycling;
      2. (B) analyze the relationship between population growth and water resources;
      3. (C) describe how human health is affected by the quality of drinking water sources;
      4. (D) describe and compare the most common sources of drinking water such as desalination, aquifers, surface water, and reclaimed water in developed and developing countries;
      5. (E) explain the characteristics of potable water;
      6. (F) describe common sources of drinking water contamination, including stormwater runoff;
      7. (G) explain contaminant cycling through an ecosystem; and
      8. (H) describe the infrastructure components of private wells and public drinking water systems.

   9. (9) Water quality. The student evaluates water quality and uses a variety of chemical and biological assays to describe water quality. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research and describe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) surface water quality standards for rivers, lakes, and estuaries;
      2. (B) research and describe annual water quality compliance reports and compare water quality between the different reports;
      3. (C) explain how water quality is quantitatively measured using chemical and biologically based testing processes;
      4. (D) perform and analyze a culture assay to detect coliform in water;
      5. (E) collect a water sample and determine water turbidity and pH;
      6. (F) outline the stages of treatment that a typical septic system and modern sewage treatment plant use to treat sewage water;
      7. (G) explain the role of bacteria in wastewater treatment;
      8. (H) research and describe emerging contaminants in water and demonstrate understanding of methods of detection, measurement techniques, degradation, assessment of risk, and strategies for mitigation and removal of contaminants;
      9. (I) describe the interacting roles of bacteria, protozoa, and rotifers in a wastewater treatment ecosystem;
      10. (J) describe and provide examples of how physical, chemical, and biological processes work in the process of purifying contaminated water;
      11. (K) explain how plants remove nitrates from contaminated water;
      12. (L) use the engineering design process to design, build, and test a water filtration system;
      13. (M) design and perform an experiment to use phytoremediation to remove contaminants from water; and
      14. (N) design and conduct a scientific experiment to test a variable affecting the bacteria's ability to decompose oil.

   10. (10) Energy. The student demonstrates a working knowledge of various sources of energy and their environmental and economic impact. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) explain the differences between and costs of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, providing examples of each;
       2. (B) describe energy density, subsidies, raw materials, the impact of energy production on land and animal life, and the environmental and resource demands of mining in relation to renewable and non-renewable energy sources;
       3. (C) identify and measure the amount and types of energy that students use in their daily lives;
       4. (D) compare the fuel efficiency of various fuel sources;
       5. (E) analyze the results of software simulations and models that vary the amounts and types of energy used to predict future energy needs;
       6. (F) define and identify types of intermittent and on-demand energy;
       7. (G) perform a full life cycle assessment (LCA) of material and energy sources; and
       8. (H) identify the variables and the methods for completing an LCA.

   11. (11) Engineering resilient systems. The student understands the environmental impacts to infrastructure systems and the need to support system performance with resilient solutions. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) identify innovations and laws which have improved air quality in the United States, including bag houses, water suppression at mines, the catalytic converter, industrial scrubbers, and the Clean Air Act;
       2. (B) analyze the impact on human habitat and access to energy of climate and extreme weather events such as flooding, freezing temperatures, hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms;
       3. (C) research and explain how engineering design can be more resilient to environmental impacts to limit additional impacts to the natural environment;
       4. (D) research and explain elements of natural environmental resilience; and
       5. (E) compare and analyze air quality data from different countries around the world, evaluating factors that influence air quality such as laws and use of different types of energy.

   12. (12) Land management. The student understands land management and land management practices. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) explain the value of a healthy ecosystem and the impact of biodiversity on the environment;
       2. (B) research and explain ecological value of the land such as direct products and provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural services;
       3. (C) identify and evaluate land conservation, preservation, and restorative measures using industry practice standards, including the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Conservation Practice Standards and the Texas Railroad Commission (TRC) environmental regulations;
       4. (D) research changes in land use and land cover over time using geospatial tools;
       5. (E) analyze and report positive and negative environmental impacts due to changes in land use, including urbanization over time, mining of rare earth minerals, and precision farming; and
       6. (F) explain the role of protected areas and lands to safeguard natural ecosystems.

   13. (13) Waste management. The student understands the role and importance of waste management. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) analyze the impacts of reduction, reuse, and recycling in waste management;
       2. (B) explain the impact of individual practices of waste reduction on resource management;
       3. (C) explain how landfills manage waste decomposition, including the capture and potential use of gases, including methane;
       4. (D) analyze the waste breakdown cycle of various waste products that enter landfills; and
       5. (E) research and describe hazardous waste products and impacts on the environment, including long-term storage needs and pollution.

   14. (14) Regulations. The student understands the role of national and local standards and regulations in environmental design. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) research and describe the functions of the EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
       2. (B) research and describe the functions of the TCEQ and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department;
       3. (C) describe the relationship between the National Environmental Policy Act, the EPA, and TCEQ; and
       4. (D) explain the role of the TRC in facilitating the restoration of mined land to its original condition.

   15. (15) Future challenges in environmental engineering. The student discusses and analyzes some of the persistent environmental engineering challenges to sustain growing populations and the natural environment and improve quality of life. The student is expected to:

       1. (A) explain why some environmental engineering challenges are persistent such as providing access to clean water, energy, sanitation, and health to growing populations;
       2. (B) create a solution to a current challenge to meet the needs of society without compromising the ability to meet the needs of the future;
       3. (C) identify principles that guide the development of resilient solutions that enhance quality of life, support a high standard of living, and conserve resources;
       4. (D) describe the life cycle of a product or service and identify energy consumption, wastes, and emissions that are produced in the process.

Source Note:The provisions of this §127.407 adopted to be effective August 1, 2025, 50 TexReg 4876.