Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1284 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R5218 CMO-D
2	2	By: Flores S.B. No. 1284
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to civics instruction in public schools, including certain
10	10	instructional requirements, civics training programs, and the
11	11	essential knowledge and skills for the public school foundation
12	12	curriculum and social studies curriculum.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Sections 21.4555(b) and (c), Education Code, are
15	15	amended to read as follows:
16	16	(b) A civics training program developed under this section
17	17	must include training in:
18	18	(1) the essential knowledge and skills for the social
19	19	studies curriculum related to civic knowledge adopted under Section
20	20	28.002(h-2);
21	21	(2) guided classroom discussion of current events in a
22	22	way that prioritizes unity, understanding, and collaboration, as
23	23	appropriate for the grade level and consistent with the
24	24	restrictions under Section 28.0022;
25	25	(3) strategies for incorporating instruction on civil
26	26	discourse, as defined by commissioner rule, into classroom
27	27	discussion of current events under Subdivision (2);
28	28	(4) classroom simulations and models of governmental
29	29	and democratic processes, including local governmental processes
30	30	and structure, consistent with the requirements and restrictions of
31	31	Sections 28.002(h-2) and 28.0022;
32	32	(5) [(4)] media literacy, including instruction on
33	33	verifying information and sources, identifying and responding to
34	34	logical fallacies, identifying how journalism and governmental
35	35	transparency can inform the public and promote civic engagement,
36	36	and identifying propaganda, as appropriate for the grade level and
37	37	consistent with the restrictions under Section 28.0022; [and]
38	38	(6) [(5)] strategies for incorporating civics
39	39	instruction into subject areas other than social studies; and
40	40	(7) identifying optional, nonpartisan volunteer
41	41	opportunities that are consistent with the requirements and
42	42	restrictions of Section 28.0022 to encourage students to connect
43	43	with their community through civic engagement.
44	44	(c) The commissioner by rule shall establish:
45	45	(1) the grade levels at which a teacher provides
46	46	instruction to be eligible to participate in a civics training
47	47	program. In making the determination, the commissioner shall
48	48	include grade levels for which the State Board of Education makes
49	49	significant revisions to the essential knowledge and skills for the
50	50	social studies curriculum under Section 28.002(h-2); and
51	51	(2) a list of approved volunteer opportunities that
52	52	meet the requirements of Subsection (b)(7).
53	53	SECTION 2. Sections 28.002(h-1) and (h-2), Education Code,
54	54	are amended to read as follows:
55	55	(h-1) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the
56	56	foundation curriculum under Subsection (a)(1), the State Board of
57	57	Education shall, as appropriate, adopt essential knowledge and
58	58	skills that develop each student's civic knowledge, including an
59	59	understanding of:
60	60	(1) the fundamental moral, political, and
61	61	intellectual foundations of the American experiment in
62	62	self-government;
63	63	(2) the history, qualities, traditions, and features
64	64	of civic engagement in the United States;
65	65	(3) the structure, function, and processes of
66	66	government institutions at the federal, state, and local levels,
67	67	including the division of powers between federal and state
68	68	governments and the legislative process in this state; and
69	69	(4) the founding documents of the United States,
70	70	including:
71	71	(A) the entirety of the Declaration of
72	72	Independence;
73	73	(B) the entirety of the United States
74	74	Constitution;
75	75	(C) the Federalist Papers, including the
76	76	entirety of Essays 10 and 51;
77	77	(D) excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville's
78	78	Democracy in America;
79	79	(E) the transcript of the first Lincoln-Douglas
80	80	debate;
81	81	(F) the writings of the founding fathers of the
82	82	United States;
83	83	(G) the entirety of Frederick Douglass's
84	84	speeches "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" and "What the
85	85	Black Man Wants"; and
86	86	(H) the entirety of Martin Luther King Jr.'s
87	87	speech "I Have a Dream."
88	88	(h-2) In adopting the essential knowledge and skills for the
89	89	social studies curriculum for each grade level from kindergarten
90	90	through grade 12, the State Board of Education shall adopt
91	91	essential knowledge and skills that develop each student's civic
92	92	knowledge, including:
93	93	(1) an understanding of:
94	94	(A) the fundamental moral, political,
95	95	entrepreneurial, and intellectual foundations of the American
96	96	experiment in self-government;
97	97	(B) the history, qualities, traditions, and
98	98	features of civic engagement in the United States;
99	99	(C) the structure, function, and processes of
100	100	government institutions at the federal, state, and local levels,
101	101	including division of powers between federal and state governments
102	102	and the legislative process in this state; and
103	103	(D) the founding documents of the United States;
104	104	(2) the ability to:
105	105	(A) analyze and determine the reliability of
106	106	information sources;
107	107	(B) formulate and articulate reasoned positions;
108	108	(C) understand the manner in which local, state,
109	109	and federal government works and operates through the use of
110	110	simulations and models of governmental and democratic processes;
111	111	(D) actively listen and engage in civil
112	112	discourse, including discourse with those with different
113	113	viewpoints; and
114	114	(E) participate as a citizen in a constitutional
115	115	democracy by voting; and
116	116	(3) an appreciation of:
117	117	(A) the importance and responsibility of
118	118	participating in civic life;
119	119	(B) a commitment to the United States and its
120	120	form of government; and
121	121	(C) a commitment to free speech and civil
122	122	discourse.
123	123	SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
124	124	school year.
125	125	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
126	126	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
127	127	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
128	128	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
129	129	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.