BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 2928 By: Creighton Education K-16 4/17/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Many public-school districts in Texas are designated as districts of innovation, but state law does not provide specific guidelines for their school start dates. This lack of guidance makes it challenging for families to plan summer vacations and summer camps, and for recreation, tourism, and other small businesses to allocate staff and resources effectively. S.B. 2829 aims to address this issue by revising the scheduling of the first day of school for students in districts of innovation. Many small businesses, tourism-related enterprises, and summer camps rely heavily on summer travel profits for year-round sustainability. These businesses would benefit from a school schedule that consistently begins in late August, and the tax revenue they generate would benefit the state. Additionally, these businesses often employ high school-aged students, providing them with valuable educational experiences by allowing them to gain and apply workforce skills that can translate into their academic learning. However, the unpredictability of annual school calendars can make employment decisions difficult for these businesses. The bill would not affect the quality of instruction, as Texas allows for flexibility in either minutes of instruction or days of instruction, not just days. Districts of innovation would still have some flexibility in starting the school year to support student success. The bill would be especially crucial for military families and military-connected students, who often experience frequent moves and transitions that can be exacerbated by inconsistent school start dates. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 12A.003(b), Education Code, to delete existing text requiring a local innovation plan to provide for a comprehensive educational program for the district, which is authorized to include modifications to the school day or year, and to make nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 12A.004(a), Education Code, to prohibit a local innovation plan from providing for the exemption of a district designated as a district of innovation from certain provisions of Title 2 (Public Education), including the first day of instruction requirements under Section 25.0811(a)(3), and to make nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 3. Amends Section 25.0811(a), Education Code, as follows: (a) Authorizes a school district to: (1) makes a nonsubstantive change to this subdivision; (2) begin instruction for students for a school year on or after the first Monday in August at a campus or at not more than 20 percent of the campuses in the district if the district has a student enrollment of 190,000 or more, the district at the beginning of the school year provides, financed with local funds, days of instruction for students at the campus or at each of the multiple campuses, in addition to the minimum instructional time, rather than the number of days of instruction required under Section 25.081 (Operation of Schools), the campus or each of the multiple campuses is undergoing comprehensive reform, as determined by the board of trustees of the district, a majority of the students at the campus or at each of the multiple campuses are educationally disadvantaged; or (3) begin instruction for students for a school year on or after the third Wednesday in August if the district is designated as a district of innovation under Chapter 12A (Districts of Innovation). Makes a nonsubstantive change to this subsection. SECTION 4. (a) Provides that, except as provided by Subsection (b) of this section, this Act applies beginning with the 20262027 school year. (b) Makes application of Sections 12A.003 (Local Innovation Plan) and 12A.004 (Limitation of Permissible Exemptions), Education Code, as amended by this Act, prospective. SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2928
By: Creighton
Education K-16
4/17/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 2928
By: Creighton
Education K-16
4/17/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Many public-school districts in Texas are designated as districts of innovation, but state law does not provide specific guidelines for their school start dates. This lack of guidance makes it challenging for families to plan summer vacations and summer camps, and for recreation, tourism, and other small businesses to allocate staff and resources effectively. S.B. 2829 aims to address this issue by revising the scheduling of the first day of school for students in districts of innovation. Many small businesses, tourism-related enterprises, and summer camps rely heavily on summer travel profits for year-round sustainability. These businesses would benefit from a school schedule that consistently begins in late August, and the tax revenue they generate would benefit the state. Additionally, these businesses often employ high school-aged students, providing them with valuable educational experiences by allowing them to gain and apply workforce skills that can translate into their academic learning. However, the unpredictability of annual school calendars can make employment decisions difficult for these businesses. The bill would not affect the quality of instruction, as Texas allows for flexibility in either minutes of instruction or days of instruction, not just days. Districts of innovation would still have some flexibility in starting the school year to support student success. The bill would be especially crucial for military families and military-connected students, who often experience frequent moves and transitions that can be exacerbated by inconsistent school start dates.
Many public-school districts in Texas are designated as districts of innovation, but state law does not provide specific guidelines for their school start dates. This lack of guidance makes it challenging for families to plan summer vacations and summer camps, and for recreation, tourism, and other small businesses to allocate staff and resources effectively. S.B. 2829 aims to address this issue by revising the scheduling of the first day of school for students in districts of innovation.
Many small businesses, tourism-related enterprises, and summer camps rely heavily on summer travel profits for year-round sustainability. These businesses would benefit from a school schedule that consistently begins in late August, and the tax revenue they generate would benefit the state. Additionally, these businesses often employ high school-aged students, providing them with valuable educational experiences by allowing them to gain and apply workforce skills that can translate into their academic learning. However, the unpredictability of annual school calendars can make employment decisions difficult for these businesses.
The bill would not affect the quality of instruction, as Texas allows for flexibility in either minutes of instruction or days of instruction, not just days. Districts of innovation would still have some flexibility in starting the school year to support student success. The bill would be especially crucial for military families and military-connected students, who often experience frequent moves and transitions that can be exacerbated by inconsistent school start dates.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 12A.003(b), Education Code, to delete existing text requiring a local innovation plan to provide for a comprehensive educational program for the district, which is authorized to include modifications to the school day or year, and to make nonsubstantive changes.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 12A.004(a), Education Code, to prohibit a local innovation plan from providing for the exemption of a district designated as a district of innovation from certain provisions of Title 2 (Public Education), including the first day of instruction requirements under Section 25.0811(a)(3), and to make nonsubstantive changes.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 25.0811(a), Education Code, as follows:
(a) Authorizes a school district to:
(1) makes a nonsubstantive change to this subdivision;
(2) begin instruction for students for a school year on or after the first Monday in August at a campus or at not more than 20 percent of the campuses in the district if the district has a student enrollment of 190,000 or more, the district at the beginning of the school year provides, financed with local funds, days of instruction for students at the campus or at each of the multiple campuses, in addition to the minimum instructional time, rather than the number of days of instruction required under Section 25.081 (Operation of Schools), the campus or each of the multiple campuses is undergoing comprehensive reform, as determined by the board of trustees of the district, a majority of the students at the campus or at each of the multiple campuses are educationally disadvantaged; or
(3) begin instruction for students for a school year on or after the third Wednesday in August if the district is designated as a district of innovation under Chapter 12A (Districts of Innovation).
Makes a nonsubstantive change to this subsection.
SECTION 4. (a) Provides that, except as provided by Subsection (b) of this section, this Act applies beginning with the 20262027 school year.
(b) Makes application of Sections 12A.003 (Local Innovation Plan) and 12A.004 (Limitation of Permissible Exemptions), Education Code, as amended by this Act, prospective.
SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.