88R202 ANG-D
By: Toth H.B. No. 360
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring the disclosure of certain information
regarding public school teaching materials and activities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding
Section 26.0061 to read as follows:
Sec. 26.0061. REQUIRED DISCLOSURE REGARDING TEACHING
MATERIALS AND ACTIVITIES. (a) In this section:
(1) "Activity" includes a presentation, assembly,
lecture, or other event facilitated by a school district or
open-enrollment charter school, other than a student presentation.
(2) "Teaching material" includes:
(A) instructional material, as that term is
defined by Section 31.002;
(B) teaching aids; and
(C) any other material a student is given the
option to select for the student's instruction.
(b) Subject to Subsection (h), not later than the fifth day
of each month, each school district and open-enrollment charter
school shall make available to the public on the district's or
school's Internet website:
(1) a list disaggregated by subject area and grade
level that states all information, including the title, author,
organization, or Internet website, as applicable, necessary to
identify a teaching material or activity that was assigned,
distributed, or otherwise presented to the district's or school's
students during the preceding month in:
(A) a course for which students receive academic
credit; or
(B) an educational event that the district or
school requires students to attend or in which a majority of
students participate;
(2) the district's or school's procedures for
documenting, reviewing, or approving a teaching material or
activity described by Subdivision (1); and
(3) any changes made in the preceding month to the
procedures described by Subdivision (2).
(c) For purposes of Subsection (b)(1), a school district or
open-enrollment charter school is not required to list the
individual components of teaching materials produced as a single
volume, except that, for a volume that contains works by multiple
authors, the district or school shall include in the list under that
subsection:
(1) a table of contents for the volume; or
(2) a link to an Internet website that discloses the
title and author of each work included in the volume.
(d) Information posted to a school district's or
open-enrollment charter school's Internet website under Subsection
(b) must be maintained on the website for not less than one year.
(e) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
use collaborative online document or spreadsheet software to
prepare or post on the district's or school's Internet website the
information required under Subsection (b).
(f) If requested by the parents of five or more enrolled
students who are not siblings, a school district or open-enrollment
charter school shall conduct:
(1) an administrative review to determine whether the
information required to be posted on the district's or school's
Internet website under Subsection (b) was posted as required by
that subsection; or
(2) a review of the teaching materials and activities
described by Subsection (b) to determine whether each teaching
material and activity is:
(A) appropriate for the grade level at which the
material or activity is used; and
(B) aligned with the essential knowledge and
skills for the grade level at which the material or activity is
used.
(g) This section does not require a school district or
open-enrollment charter school to reproduce a teaching material or
activity described by Subsection (b)(1).
(h) This section does not apply to:
(1) a school district or open-enrollment charter
school with a student enrollment of less than 300 students; or
(2) a teaching material or activity described by
Subsection (b)(1) that is selected independently by teachers
employed at a campus with a student enrollment of less than 50
students for use only at that campus.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2023.