Section 127.45 - Professional Standards and Communication in Agribusiness (One Credit), Adopted 2024(a) Implementation. The provisions of this section shall be implemented by school districts beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.(b) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 10-12. Recommended prerequisite: Principles of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. Students shall be awarded one credit for successful completion of this course.(c) Introduction. (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed in current or emerging professions.(2) The Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster focuses on the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources, including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources.(3) Professional Standards and Communication in Agribusiness focuses on leadership, communication, employer-employee relations, and problem solving as they relate to agribusiness. To prepare for careers in agribusiness systems, students must attain academic knowledge and skills, acquire technical knowledge and skills related to leadership development and communications in agriculture, and develop knowledge and skills regarding agricultural career opportunities, entry requirements, and industry expectations. To prepare for success, students need opportunities to learn, reinforce, apply, and transfer their knowledge and skills in a variety of settings.(4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.(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.(d) Knowledge and skills. (1) The student demonstrates professional standards/employability skills as required by business and industry. The student is expected to: (A) identify career development, education, and entrepreneurship opportunities in the field of agribusiness;(B) identify and demonstrate interpersonal, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills used in agriculture, food, and natural resources industries;(C) describe and demonstrate appropriate personal and occupational safety and health practices for the workplace;(D) identify employers' legal responsibilities and expectations, including appropriate work habits and ethical conduct;(E) describe and demonstrate characteristics of good citizenship in the agricultural workplace, including promoting stewardship, community leadership, civic engagement, and agricultural awareness and literacy; and(F) identify training, education, and certification requirements for occupational choices.(2) The student develops a supervised agricultural experience program. The student is expected to: (A) plan, propose, conduct, document, and evaluate a supervised agricultural experience program as an experiential learning activity; and(B) apply proper record-keeping skills as they relate to the supervised agricultural experience program.(3) The student develops leadership skills through participation in an agricultural youth organization. The student is expected to: (A) participate in youth agricultural leadership opportunities;(B) review and participate in a local program of activities; and(C) create or update documentation of relevant agricultural experience such as community service, professional, or classroom experiences.(4) The student analyzes the professional development skills needed to be an effective leader in agribusiness. The student is expected to: (A) describe the importance of positive self-concept, social skills, and maintaining a professional image;(B) analyze various leadership styles;(C) prepare a professional resume, letters of interest, employment applications, and follow-up communications related to the hiring process; and(D) explain the interpersonal skills needed to work cooperatively with others.(5) The student evaluates employer and employee responsibilities for occupations in agriculture, food, and natural resources. The student is expected to: (A) identify and discuss work-related and agribusiness-related ethics;(B) identify and practice job interview skills; and(C) outline complaint and appeal processes in the workplace.(6) The student communicates effectively through various mediums with groups and individuals. The student is expected to: (A) describe elements of effective communication such as accuracy, relevance, rhetoric, and organization in informal, group discussions; formal presentations; and business-related, technical communication;(B) describe how the style and content of spoken language varies in different contexts and can influence the listener's understanding;(C) evaluate elements of oral presentations such as delivery, vocabulary, length, and purpose;(D) modify presentations based on audience;(E) identify elements of appropriate professional communications in agribusiness such as correct usage of grammar and punctuation;(F) explain the importance of communicating factual and unbiased data and information obtained from reliable sources;(G) identify and demonstrate effective nonverbal communication skills and listening strategies; and(H) analyze and discuss the importance of relationships and organization for effective communication within groups.(7) The student understands the dynamics of group collaboration. The student is expected to: (A) explain the significance of personal and group goals;(B) apply various leadership traits to solve problems when leading a group;(C) discuss the importance of time management and teamwork;(D) outline the steps in the decision-making and problem-solving processes; and(E) demonstrate an understanding of parliamentary procedures by conducting or actively participating in a meeting.(8) The student applies principles of design in visual media as they relate to agriculture. The student is expected to:(A) explain the purpose of visual media;(B) identify principles of design for visual media;(C) create designs such as web design or print design for a targeted purpose in agribusiness; and(D) interpret, evaluate, and justify artistic decisions in visual media related to agribusiness.(9) The student demonstrates journalistic writing in agriculture. The student is expected to: (A) differentiate between news, feature, and opinion writing;(B) identify different forms of journalistic writing such as feature story, press release, and editorials; and(C) create different forms of journalistic writing for a topic in agribusiness using the drafting process, including layout, selection, revisions, and editing.(10) The student identifies new media being used in agriculture. The student is expected to:(A) identify effective use of emerging technology in agricultural communications;(B) propose a media campaign for an agricultural product or business;(C) distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate uses of media; and(D) identify key concepts related to digital citizenship and demonstrate appropriate use of technology for the workplace.(11) The student examines media laws and ethics related to agricultural communications. The student is expected to: (A) define free speech, free press, defamation, and libel within communications;(B) identify and explain media laws applicable to various agricultural communications;(C) identify and discuss ethical considerations related to media; and(D) evaluate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of communication technologies.(12) The student examines crisis management and risk communication in agricultural communications. The student is expected to:(A) differentiate between crisis and risk communication;(B) create an outline for a crisis communication plan in agriculture; and(C) analyze communication techniques, relevant communication networks, and organization communication strategies before, during, and after a crisis.19 Tex. Admin. Code § 127.45
Adopted by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 36, September 6, 2024, TexReg 6996, eff. 9/9/2024