BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 348
87R2678 JES-D	By: Kolkhorst
	Education
	4/21/2021
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, the Texas Education Code permits parents to have access to the teaching and instructional materials of the parent's child. Since the onset of the COVID pandemic in Texas, school districts have shifted much of their class instruction to online.

Many parents of children enrolled in remote instruction are tasked with monitoring and assisting in their child's education. This requires parents to have extensive access to much of the teaching and instructional content, which has been an ongoing practice since the start of the COVID pandemic. While the current statute allows for parent access to teaching materials, it does not specify teaching materials that are online. S.B. 348 enhances existing law to ensure that parents have the right to observe any virtual instruction and review any teaching materials, instructional materials, or other teaching aids provided to the parent's child while the parent's child is participating in virtual or remote learning.

As proposed, S.B. 348 amends current law relating to parental access to public school virtual instruction and instructional materials for virtual and remote learning.

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 26.006(a), Education Code, to entitle parents to certain information, including observing any virtual instruction and reviewing any teaching materials, instructional materials, or other teaching aids provided to the parent's child while the parent's child is participating in virtual or remote learning. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.