The House Public Education Committee will meet at 8 a.m., Tuesday, April 22, 2025, to hear invited and public testimony on 12 bills:
HB 178 Morales – This bill amends state law related to the K-12 social studies curriculum to add that ethnic studies be taught alongside traditional subjects. It would require high school students to complete three credits in social studies (a specific credit in ethnic studies in addition to U.S. history and government). The revised curriculum and credit structure would affect students entering the ninth grade starting in the 2026-27 school year, with prior students maintaining the existing guidelines.
HB 1551 Hickland – This bill mandates that, within two school days of becoming aware that an employee has been charged with an offense referenced in Article 42.018 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, school districts and open-enrollment charter schools must notify the parents or guardians of every student enrolled at the affected campus. The notification would have to contain details including the employee’s name and position, whether they are still employed, their length of service, the nature of the charged offense, and a reminder of the legal principle that individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. School authorities would have discretion to provide additional context regarding the situation but would be prohibited from revealing the alleged victim’s identity. The bill tasks the commissioner of education with establishing procedural guidelines for notifications required during school closures.
HB 1939 Meyer – This bill mandates that if a school district chooses to pay for attendance credit specifically, if it adheres to the payment methods outlined in Section 49.154(a)(2)and completes this payment by February 15 of the school year for which the attendance credit is requested, it will benefit from a 4% reduction in the total amount due. The reduction would apply after accounting for any other reductions that the district may be entitled to under existing laws, such as Section 49.157.
HB 2040 King – This bill amends state law related to juvenile justice alternative education programs, requiring that these programs provide 43,200 minutes of instructional time annually, rather than operating under the previous structure of seven hours per day and 180 days a year. The bill retains the option for programs to seek waivers from the instructional time requirement, but it imposes a limitation on the extent of these waivers. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department would be prohibited from granting waivers that surpass the highest number of instructional minutes previously waived by the commissioner for any school district within the same academic year.
HB 2354 Shaheen – This bill relates to charter school admission, enrollment, and employment policies. It would broaden the types of charter schools to include college or university charters and adult education program charters. It would allow charter schools to have an admission policy that limits admissions to students of a single biological sex as stated on their birth certificate or other governmental record. It would allow charter schools that use a lottery system to use a weighted lottery that assigns weights to applicants who are disadvantaged students. The bill would require that results of the lottery admissions and corresponding policies be made publicly accessible. It does not require a teacher for noncore CTE courses to have a bachelor’s degree if they meet the criteria for a school district teaching permit.
HB 2674 Cook – This bill would prohibit any increase in regulations on homeschool programs by state educational authorities, including TEA and the SBOE.
HB 3029 Howard – This bill amends the Education Code to clearly state that school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and private schools can facilitate the administration of both prescription and nonprescription medications. The requirement for a written request from a parent or guardian would be maintained, but the bill would expand the scope of medication administration by allowing for nonprescription medications to be given without a healthcare provider’s additional written protocol. The bill redefines “professional nursing” under the Occupations Code, incorporating nonprescription medication administration in schools into the nursing practice. It would provide immunity from civil liability to educational institutions and their employees for actions taken under these new guidelines.
HB 3460 Dutton – This bill updates the bilingual education funding framework in Texas. It mandates that school districts that are granted exceptions submit comprehensive reports detailing their alternative language education methods within the PEIMS system. The bill outlines a review process where TEA would approve school districts for a total of $10 million in biennial allotments for those utilizing approved alternative language education methods. Eligible districts would receive funding based on student attendance, with varying allotment rates based on the type of bilingual program. The bill stipulates that at least 55% of the funds allocated for bilingual education must be focused on direct educational activities, including teacher salaries.
HB 3631 Hunter – This bill amends the Education Code by adding Section 49.1573, which would apply exclusively to school districts located in first tier and second tier coastal counties as defined by the Insurance Code. Under this section, the total amount a school district must pay for attendance credit would be reduced by the expenditures made on windstorm and hail insurance in the prior school year. The bill stipulates that these reductions would occur subsequent to any other reductions the district is eligible for under existing laws.
HB 3662 Capriglione – This bill amends the Government Code by adding Section 423.0047 relating to the operation of an unmanned aircraft over a public school instructional facility. The legislation defines “instructional facility” per existing educational statutes and establishes a legal framework for penalizing operators of unmanned aircraft that infringe upon these areas. Under this new provision, a person would commit an offense if they knowingly operate an unmanned aircraft over school properties, specifically those owned or leased by school districts or charter schools. The bill provides several defined exemptions, including operations by governmental agencies, those with FAA compliance, individuals with consent from school officials, and youths under 14. The legislation allows school officials to temporarily seize unmanned aircraft seen flying over these facilities for use as evidence in legal proceedings. If court proceedings arise, judges would possess the discretion to dismiss charges against defendants younger than 17, requiring them instead to engage in an educational program related to drone safety and relevant aviation laws. Offenses would be classified as a Class C misdemeanor, but repeat offenders or individuals with previous relevant convictions would face elevated charges as a Class B misdemeanor.
HB 5201 Lopez – This bill mandates that school districts take specific measures when entering into contracts with project managers for construction projects valued over $1 million. It requires that school districts ensure that project managers are bonded and that proper verification of licensing with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors is conducted. Project managers would need to present proof of professional liability insurance or errors and omissions coverage. Further requirements state that any contract for project oversight must include a performance bond amounting to at least 10% of the total contract value. Claims against these bonds could be initiated in the event of noncompliance with contractual duties.
HB 5381 Lowe – The bill, known as “Rocky’s Law,” adds protections for military dependents enrolled in public schools. The bill defines essential terms, including Compact, which refers to the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, and delineates what constitutes “uniformed services.” It extends eligibility for existing educational protections to include children of veterans retired or discharged within four years, provided the veteran returns to their home of record on military orders, and to children of those who die while on active duty. The bill mandates school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to create a prominently accessible link on their websites, labeled “MIC3,” to direct stakeholders to relevant information regarding the Compact and the protections it entails. It would require that TEA’s Compact Council include a current or former Department of Defense Education Activity teacher. The bill prohibits hiring individuals with specific criminal backgrounds in schools serving military families.
