Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB617 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R3423 MK-D
2	2	By: Leach H.B. No. 617
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the inclusion of American principles in the public
8	8	school curriculum and instructional materials.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subsection (h-1) to read as follows:
12	12	(h-1) To accomplish the primary purpose stated in
13	13	Subsection (h), the State Board of Education and each school
14	14	district shall ensure that:
15	15	(1) the public school curriculum emphasizes:
16	16	(A) the importance of patriotism, American
17	17	exceptionalism, United States citizenship, basic democratic
18	18	values, character development, the moral fabric of American civil
19	19	society, and an appreciation for the free enterprise system; and
20	20	(B) an understanding of the principles
21	21	underlying the United States form of government, including the
22	22	study of the Founding Fathers of the United States, the Declaration
23	23	of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Bill of
24	24	Rights, and the Federalist Papers;
25	25	(2) each historical event addressed in the public
26	26	school curriculum meets a reasonable standard of historical
27	27	significance, in relation to the limited amount of available
28	28	instructional time;
29	29	(3) any issue included in the public school curriculum
30	30	that is considered controversial is presented in a balanced manner
31	31	that includes multiple viewpoints regarding the issue;
32	32	(4) the public school curriculum includes the
33	33	Celebrate Freedom Week program developed under Section 29.907; and
34	34	(5) any curriculum generated, purchased, or otherwise
35	35	obtained by a district, including dual credit, advanced placement,
36	36	and international baccalaureate social studies courses, is in
37	37	compliance with the appropriate essential knowledge and skills
38	38	requirements adopted under this section.
39	39	SECTION 2. Section 31.023(a), Education Code, is amended to
40	40	read as follows:
41	41	(a) For each subject and grade level, the State Board of
42	42	Education shall adopt a list of instructional materials. The list
43	43	includes each instructional material submitted for the subject and
44	44	grade level that meets applicable physical specifications adopted
45	45	by the State Board of Education, that [and] contains material that
46	46	is consistent with the purpose and guidelines of Sections 28.002(h)
47	47	and (h-1), and that covers [covering] at least half of the elements
48	48	of the essential knowledge and skills of the subject and grade level
49	49	in the student version of the instructional material, as well as in
50	50	the teacher version of the instructional material, as determined by
51	51	the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 and adopted under
52	52	Section 31.024.
53	53	SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), this
54	54	Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
55	55	(b) The changes in law made by this Act to Section
56	56	31.023(a), Education Code, apply to instructional materials
57	57	adopted by the State Board of Education on or after September 1,
58	58	2018.
59	59	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
60	60	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
61	61	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
62	62	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
63	63	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.