8th and 9th Grade Offering.
Principles of Human Services is a laboratory course that allows students to explore careers within the Human Services Career Cluster, including counseling and mental health, early childhood development, family and community services, personal care, and consumer services. Each student will develop the knowledge and skills essential for success in high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand human services careers. A lab fee of $25 may apply. Open to grades 8-12, this course offers 1 credit.

Scope and Sequence

Human Growth and Development examines human development across the lifespan, emphasizing research, theoretical perspectives, and common physical, cognitive, emotional, and social developmental milestones. This course covers material typically taught in a one-semester introductory course in developmental psychology or human development at the postsecondary level. Open to grades 10-12, it offers 1 credit and requires Principles of Human Services as a prerequisite.

Scope and Sequence

Instructional Practices is a field-based practicum internship that provides students with foundational knowledge of child and adolescent development, along with principles of effective teaching and training practices. Under the supervision of a teacher experienced in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence education, as well as exemplary educators or trainers, students engage in direct instructional roles with elementary, middle, and high school-aged students. Students will learn to plan and direct individualized instruction and group activities, prepare instructional materials, and assist with record keeping. Those who qualify at the end of the course will be eligible for Educational Aide I certification upon turning 18. Open to grades 11-12, this course offers 2 credits and requires Human Growth & Development as a prerequisite.

Scope and Sequence

Instructional Practices Internship is a field-based course that equips students with knowledge of child and adolescent development and effective teaching and training practices. Students work under the supervision of a qualified teacher and exemplary educators in direct instructional roles with elementary, middle, and high school students. They will learn to plan and direct individualized instruction and group activities, prepare instructional materials, and assist with record keeping. Students earn 2 credits upon successful completion, and they may repeat the course once for credit if they experience different aspects of the industry while demonstrating proficiency in advanced skills. There is a class fee for fingerprinting and a T-shirt. Open to grade 12, this course requires Instructional Practices as a prerequisite.

Educational Aide I certificate that high school students can earn as an industry-based certification (IBC). To get this certificate, applicants need to meet certain requirements, like completing a criminal history check and fingerprinting, which is needed for all SBEC certificates. Although the current Educational Aide application wasn’t made specifically for high school students, school districts can still use it for them. Students must choose their school district from a drop-down list on the application to submit it, even though they aren’t actually employed by the district. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) understands this dual use of the application.