The House Education Committee announced a hearing for 8 a.m., Tuesday, March 25, to hear testimony on the following bills:
HB 7 Leach – Relating to parental rights in public education and to the reporting of certain misconduct and child abuse and neglect. This bill aims to enhance transparency and accountability in Texas public education by strengthening parental rights and instituting rigorous reporting protocols for educator misconduct. Key provisions require the Texas Education Agency to create a parental rights document, ensuring parents are informed about their rights concerning their child’s education. Furthermore, amendments add requirements for schools to report misconduct, extending these obligations to all educational staff, including non-certified personnel, and stipulates clear timelines for reporting suspected misconduct involving educators. The bill establishes a formal grievance structure under which parents can appeal to the commissioner of education for grievances related to their child’s education, ensuring that educational institutions address complaints thoroughly and within specified timeframes. Significantly, the measure mandates written consent from parents before any human sexuality instruction can be provided to students, safeguarding parental involvement in sensitive educational content. Furthermore, the bill introduces a transparent reporting mechanism for misconduct, which necessitates immediate notification to parents if a certified educator engages in inappropriate behavior. Overall, these changes represent a substantial shift towards enhancing parental involvement and safeguarding the welfare of students within Texas’s public educational framework. The provisions take effect starting September 1, 2025, to allow for necessary implementation adjustments.
HB 100 Leo Wilson, et al. – Relating to the purchase, adoption, and use of instructional materials by public schools. This bill focuses on ensuring that the instructional materials provided to Texas public schools meet certain safety and quality standards. To this end, the legislation amends several sections of the Education Code, including Section 31.0211(f), which establishes that state funding for instructional materials cannot support any materials that are considered obscene or harmful or that fail the necessary certification requirements. Additionally, materials must also not be on the State Board of Education’s list of rejected instructional materials. Furthermore, a new Section 31.024 is introduced, clearly stating that school districts must refrain from adopting any materials that appear on the rejected list. Inconsistencies in material adoption are avoided by specifying that open education resources can only be adopted if they comply with the newly established restrictions. Lastly, Section 31.106 is amended to clarify that local funds must also adhere to the prohibition against purchasing any rejected materials. This comprehensive legislation aims to fortify the educational integrity and appropriateness of instructional materials provided to students, with an implementation timeline set for the 2025-2026 school year unless immediate adoption is achieved.
HB 121 King, Ken – Relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the commissioning of peace officers by the Texas Education Agency, public school safety and security requirements, and the provision of safety-related resources. This legislation aims to bolster public school safety in Texas by implementing multiple measures intended to enhance security and emergency preparedness in schools. It revises existing laws regarding peace officers, allowing for a broader definition that includes individuals appointed by the TEA and the ability for the agency to commission peace officers specifically to enforce safety regulations. Under the bill, school districts are required to develop comprehensive multi-hazard emergency operations plans that must encompass aspects of both physical and psychological safety for students and staff during crises. This includes provisions for immediate parent notifications during emergencies, the integration of psychological safety training, and dedicated protocols for extracurricular safety. The introduction of a five-year limit on good cause exceptions for safety compliance encourages school districts to assess and address deficiencies promptly. In the operational context, sheriffs are now required to conduct safety meetings biannually, fostering collaboration between law enforcement and educational institutions to implement effective safety protocols. Overall, this act emphasizes the importance of a proactive approach to school safety, ensuring that all stakeholders, including law enforcement and educational leaders, are engaged in the security of Texas schools starting from the 2025-2026 school year.
HB 124 Bonnen – Relating to the school safety allotment under the Foundation School Program. This bill modifies the provisions related to the school safety allotment in the Texas Education Code under Section 48.115. The amendments introduce increased financial support for school safety, which is particularly crucial in maintaining a secure educational environment. Firstly, the allotment for each student in average daily attendance is raised from $10 to $14, which provides schools with more funding per student. In addition, the bill enhances the specific funding allotment per campus significantly from $15,000 to $37,000, thereby enabling individual campuses to bolster their safety measures more effectively. These adjustments reflect a commitment to prioritize school safety within the educational budget. Furthermore, the bill stipulates that these changes will take effect on September 1, 2025, allowing ample time for school districts to prepare for the updated funding structure. Overall, the bill aims to enhance safety within Texas schools through improved financial resources.
HB 1175 Hinojosa – Relating to the provision of a student transcript by an independent school district. The proposed bill titled “AN ACT relating to the provision of a student transcript by an independent school district” seeks to enhance the accessibility of student transcripts for individuals authorized to receive them under state or federal law. It modifies Section 7.010 of the Education Code by adding a new Subsection (c-1), which requires school districts to provide an electronic copy of student transcripts through their electronic student records system upon request, ensuring that these records are easily accessible. Additionally, the bill revises Section 11.158(b), clarifying that independent school boards cannot charge fees for a range of essential educational resources and activities. Notably, it removes the previously permitted fees under certain categories and adds a specification that explicitly prohibits charging for electronic copies of a students transcript. This change emphasizes the importance of making educational resources, particularly student records, available without financial barriers. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, marking an important step toward streamlining the process of obtaining student transcripts and ensuring equitable access for all stakeholders.
HB 1458 Metcalf – Relating to the armed security officers required to be present at public schools. This bill amends Section 37.0814 of the Education Code, which pertains to the types of security officers mandated to be present at public schools. The new law delineates a list of individuals eligible to serve in this capacity, emphasizing enhanced qualifications for safety measures within educational institutions. Under the revamped definition, security officers must now include not only school district peace officers and school resource officers but also introduce two significant new categories: reserve deputy sheriffs appointed under the specified section of local government code and honorably retired peace officers who have kept their peace officer commission active and complied with other important regulatory requirements. These changes aim to ensure that schools have access to well-trained and qualified security personnel, thus enhancing overall safety for students and staff. The bill is slated to take effect on September 1, 2025, providing time for schools and law enforcement to adjust to the new requirements for security officer presence in public schools. This legislative action underscores a commitment to improving campus safety through more stringent qualifications for those entrusted with maintaining security in educational environments.
HB 2249 Bernal – Relating to the establishment of the Texas Teacher Recruitment Scholarship Program and the Texas Teacher Retention Incentive Program. This bill enacts measures to bolster both the recruitment and retention of teachers in Texas through the establishment of two new programs aimed at addressing critical shortages in the education system. The Texas Teacher Recruitment Scholarship Program focuses on attracting new talent into the teaching profession. The program offers conditional scholarships to eligible students enrolled in teacher preparation programs within Texas. Each scholarship can amount to as much as $40,000, contingent upon specific criteria, including a requirement for students to maintain satisfactory academic progress and fulfill service commitments post-graduation. In the event a student receives a degree before completing their scholarship, they must utilize remaining funds for student loan repayment. On the retention front, the Texas Teacher Retention Incentive Program incentivizes current teachers to remain in their positions by providing an annual award of $10,000 for four consecutive years, contingent upon their continued employment in the same district. Eligibility for nominations includes maintaining good standing with the Texas Education Agency and not having received prior designations that would disqualify them. Both programs are designed for implementation by the 2026-2027 academic year, with a focus on ensuring equitable access and maintaining rigorous standards across the board while being funded through existing financial resources without mandating new appropriations from the legislature.
