The Senate Education K-16 Committee will meet at 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 1, 2025, to hear invited and public testimony on the following bills:
SB 451 Middleton – This bill focuses on the regulation of the purchase, adoption, and use of instructional materials by public schools in Texas. It updates Section 31.0211(f) to categorically prohibit the use of allotted funds for materials that include obscene or harmful content, or materials that cannot comply with certification as mandated by Section 31.1011(a)(1)(B). It further stipulates that funds cannot be used for any materials found on the State Board of Education’s list of rejected instructional materials. A new section, 31.024, explicitly states that school districts are prohibited from adopting or using any material on the rejection list. Additionally, Section 31.073 is amended to emphasize that open education resources can only be adopted if they are absent from the rejection list. The bill also modifies Section 31.106, allowing schools to utilize local funds for purchasing materials but strictly limiting it to those not on the rejection list.
SB 762 Campbell – This bill amends Chapter 1 of the Education Code by adding Section 1.0031, which outlines the specific conditions under which flags may be displayed in public schools. The definition of “display” is provided to encompass exhibitions that students can see. The section explicitly states that public schools must not display any flags except for a limited number of approved flags, which include the U.S. flag, state flag, flags related to archaeological preservation, and others representing Indian tribes, military divisions, colleges, and certain organizations during authorized periods. The bill grants parents or guardians the right to sue schools that violate these display regulations. They must first notify the school of the violation and allow a 10-business day period for the school to respond with corrective actions. If the school fails to remedy the situation within this timeframe, the parent or guardian can then seek an injunction for compliance. The bill contains a severability clause to ensure that if any part of this legislation is deemed invalid, the remainder will still be enforceable.
SB 1262 Nichols – This legislation specifies members of various entities entitled to act as peace officers, now explicitly including officers commissioned by the Texas Education Agency under Section 37.1031. This extension allows certified employees to enforce school safety laws. Section 37.0814 mandates that any good cause exception claimed by school boards for compliance with safety standards will expire after five years, requiring a reevaluation and potential renewal of exceptions. The bill also adds specific provisions to school emergency operations plans, emphasizing psychological safety and measures during extracurricular activities.
SB 1459 Campbell – This bill changes existing regulations surrounding student possession of personal communication devices in Texas schools. Under the new regulations, school boards are now required to establish written policies that specifically permit the possession of personal communication devices necessary for students with individualized education needs or for complying with legal requirements. Policies may also allow such devices for educational purposes during class and at non-instructional times like lunch. The bill mandates that the policy adoption process includes public meetings. Schools must make these policies accessible via their websites and inform parents or guardians.
SB 1490 Bettencourt – This bill amends Section 12.263(b) of the Education Code to modify how average daily attendance is calculated for adult education programs that operate under a charter in Texas. The bill increases the attendance days counted from half to three-quarters for students enrolled between 50% to 75% of the school year, and from a quarter to half for those enrolled between 25% to 50%. Additionally, it changes the criteria for recognizing students enrolled between 10% to 25%, increasing their attendance from one-tenth to a quarter of instructional days.
SB 1750 Paxton – This bill amends Section 12.106 of the Texas Education Code on the funding structure for open-enrollment charter schools. It replaces the term “funding” with “an annual allotment.” The bill specifies that funding determination will rely on either the state average interest and sinking fund tax rate or a maximum allotment derived from applicable statutes. The bill introduces Subsection (e-2), which requires the governing body of a charter school to certify annually that no personal financial benefit arises from real estate transactions involving the school. In addition to leasing and maintaining instructional facilities, the updated provisions allow funds to be allocated towards school buses, instructional technology, school safety and security, and performing arts or athletic facilities except for stadiums with a seating capacity exceeding 1,000 spectators.
SB 1962 Bettencourt – This bill addresses various facets of public school accountability in Texas, including the process by which individuals aggrieved by agency actions may appeal in district courts, school board trustees’ review of evaluation tools, the validation of assessment instruments, a new industry certification list, the method for assigning performance ratings annually, defining the “Not Rated” category to ensure districts are assessed even when there have been data integrity issues or disasters, and stipulating “stringent penalties and intervention measures to uphold accountability standards.”
SB 2252 Creighton – This bill introduces teacher training programs (literacy and mathematics academies) for grades K-3 with financial incentives, such as stipends for attending these programs that focus on evidence-based practices. Significant amendments to reading diagnosis procedures are made, making it mandatory for districts to utilize state-approved reading and mathematics assessments to evaluate students’ foundational skills.The bill establishes allotments for students receiving reading interventions, parental support for early childhood development, and financial incentives for schools implementing additional instructional days.
SB 2253 Creighton – This bill reformulates several aspects of Texas’ educator preparation and certification landscape. It amends Section 12A.004 of the Education Code to limit districts of innovation from exempting certain educational mandates, especially concerning the employment of uncertified teachers. The newly created Section 21.0032 specifies guidelines under which districts can employ uncertified educators, establishing a compliance timeline that ensures all teachers meet certification requirements by the 2029-30 school year. The bill constructs new categories for teaching certificates, differentiating between standard certificates and various intern designations based on specific educational pathways. Sections 21.902 to 21.907 establish partnership programs between educational institutions and school districts aimed at facilitating preservice training for teacher candidates while offering financial incentives to encourage program participation. Provisions around educator salaries are also revised, mandating higher minimum salaries for teachers with certain certifications. Notifications under Section 21.057 have been expanded, requiring districts to inform parents of unqualified teaching assignments. To ensure compliance, Section 21.0456 sets forth sanctions for educator preparation programs that fail to meet established standards.
SB 2365 Creighton – This legislation strictly regulates the use of personal wireless communication devices. It defines “personal wireless communication devices” as any wireless electronic communication equipment capable of data transmission, including cellular phones, laptop computers, and tablets, except those issued by schools for instructional purposes. A significant change is the obligatory adoption of policies by the board of trustees in school districts and the governing bodies of open-enrollment charter schools that prohibit the use of these devices during instructional time. The bill also mandates that classrooms must establish secure and out-of-sight areas for the storage of personal devices, ensuring they are not accessible to students during classes.
