Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB197 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R3958 JDK-D
2	2	By: Menéndez S.B. No. 197
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to training requirements for public school board of
10	10	trustees members and superintendents regarding the adoption of a
11	11	trauma-informed school standard.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
14	14	amended by adding Section 11.004 to read as follows:
15	15	Sec. 11.004. TRAINING FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND
16	16	SUPERINTENDENTS REGARDING TRAUMA-INFORMED SCHOOL STANDARD. (a)
17	17	Each member of the board of trustees and the superintendent of a
18	18	school district must complete an agency-approved course of
19	19	instruction regarding the adoption and administration of a
20	20	trauma-informed school standard. A course required under this
21	21	section must be completed:
22	22	(1) by a school board member, on election or
23	23	reelection; or
24	24	(2) by a superintendent, every four years.
25	25	(b) A course of instruction described by Subsection (a) must
26	26	provide information, relevant to and within the scope of the duties
27	27	of a school board member or superintendent, regarding:
28	28	(1) recognition of and care for trauma in students and
29	29	educators;
30	30	(2) the relationship between educator wellness and
31	31	student learning;
32	32	(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and
33	33	learning;
34	34	(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including
35	35	the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk
36	36	of experiencing trauma;
37	37	(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on
38	38	recognizing trauma among various racial or ethnic groups of
39	39	students; and
40	40	(6) effective district and campus policies and
41	41	practices shown to:
42	42	(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of
43	43	trauma on student behavior and learning; and
44	44	(B) support the emotional wellness of educators.
45	45	(c) A school district shall submit for agency approval any
46	46	course of instruction identified by the district as satisfying the
47	47	requirements of Subsection (b).
48	48	(d) The agency may approve both in-person and online courses
49	49	of instruction to satisfy the requirements of this section,
50	50	including courses provided by community-based nonprofit
51	51	organizations with expertise concerning trauma-informed school
52	52	standards.
53	53	(e) The State Board of Education shall propose rules that
54	54	allow:
55	55	(1) a school board member to satisfy the training
56	56	requirements under Section 11.159 for completion of the training
57	57	required under this section; and
58	58	(2) a superintendent to receive credit toward the
59	59	superintendent's continuing education requirements under Section
60	60	21.054 for completion of the training required under this section.
61	61	SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas
62	62	Education Agency shall approve one or more courses of instruction
63	63	to satisfy the training requirements of Section 11.004, Education
64	64	Code, as added by this Act.
65	65	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
66	66	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
67	67	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
68	68	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
69	69	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.