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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
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AN ACT
|
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relating to instructional material and technology, the adoption of |
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essential knowledge and skills for certain public school foundation |
|
curriculum subjects, and creating allotments for the procurement of |
|
certain instructional materials under the Foundation School |
|
Program; authorizing a fee. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 11.164, Education Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
|
follows: |
|
(a) The board of trustees of each school district shall |
|
limit redundant requests for information and the number and length |
|
of written reports that a classroom teacher is required to prepare. |
|
A classroom teacher may not be required to prepare any written |
|
information other than: |
|
(1) any report concerning the health, safety, or |
|
welfare of a student; |
|
(2) a report of a student's grade on an assignment or |
|
examination; |
|
(3) a report of a student's academic progress in a |
|
class or course; |
|
(4) a report of a student's grades at the end of each |
|
grade reporting period; |
|
(5) a report on instructional materials; |
|
(6) subject to Subsection (a-1), a unit or weekly |
|
lesson plan that outlines, in a brief and general manner, the |
|
information to be presented during each period at the secondary |
|
level or in each subject or topic at the elementary level; |
|
(7) an attendance report; |
|
(8) any report required for accreditation review; |
|
(9) any information required by a school district that |
|
relates to a complaint, grievance, or actual or potential |
|
litigation and that requires the classroom teacher's involvement; |
|
or |
|
(10) any information specifically required by law, |
|
rule, or regulation. |
|
(a-1) A unit or weekly lesson plan that is included in |
|
instructional material, as defined by Section 31.002, and adopted |
|
by the board of trustees of the school district at which a teacher |
|
is employed is sufficient to satisfy a requirement to prepare |
|
written information described by Subsection (a)(6). |
|
SECTION 2. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsection (a-1) and adding Subsection (h) to read as |
|
follows: |
|
(a-1) Any training requirements for a certificate specified |
|
under Subsection (a) must require that the person demonstrate: |
|
(1) basic knowledge of: |
|
(A) each disability category under the |
|
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 |
|
et seq.) and how each category can affect student learning and |
|
development; and |
|
(B) conditions that may be considered a |
|
disability under Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. |
|
Section 794), and how a condition covered by that section can affect |
|
student learning and development; |
|
(2) competence in the use of proactive instructional |
|
planning techniques that: |
|
(A) provide flexibility in the ways: |
|
(i) information is presented; |
|
(ii) students respond or demonstrate |
|
knowledge and skills; and |
|
(iii) students are engaged; |
|
(B) reduce barriers in instruction; |
|
(C) provide appropriate accommodations, |
|
supports, and challenges; and |
|
(D) maintain high achievement expectations for |
|
all students, including students with disabilities and students of |
|
limited English proficiency; [and] |
|
(3) competence in the use of evidence-based inclusive |
|
instructional practices, including: |
|
(A) general and special education collaborative |
|
and co-teaching models and approaches; |
|
(B) multitiered systems of support, including |
|
response to intervention strategies, classroom and school level |
|
data-based collaborative structures, and evidence-based strategies |
|
for intervention and progress monitoring systems in academic areas; |
|
(C) classroom management techniques using |
|
evidence-based behavioral intervention strategies and supports; |
|
and |
|
(D) appropriate adaptation strategies, including |
|
accommodations, modifications, and instruction in the use of |
|
assistive technology for instruction; and |
|
(4) thorough understanding of and competence in the |
|
use of open education resource instructional materials included on |
|
the list of approved instructional materials maintained by the |
|
State Board of Education under Section 31.022 in each subject area |
|
and grade level covered by the person's certificate. |
|
(h) An educator preparation program may not include |
|
instruction on the use of instructional materials that incorporates |
|
the method of three-cueing, as defined by Section 28.0062(a-1), |
|
into foundational skills reading instruction. |
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 21.4045 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 21.4045. PLANNING AND NONINSTRUCTIONAL DUTIES OF |
|
TEACHERS. (a) A school district may permit, but may not require, a |
|
classroom teacher for a foundation curriculum course to spend |
|
planning and preparation time to which the teacher is entitled |
|
under Section 21.404 creating or selecting instructional materials |
|
to initially cover the applicable essential knowledge and skills |
|
for the course unless the contract under which the teacher is |
|
employed explicitly states that the teacher is responsible for |
|
duties relating to initial lesson plan design or instructional |
|
material selection. |
|
(b) A contract between a school district and a classroom |
|
teacher under which a teacher is assigned responsibility for duties |
|
unrelated to providing instruction and that requires the teacher to |
|
work a greater number of hours than the number of hours worked by |
|
other full-time teachers of the same grade level in the district |
|
must explicitly state each of the teacher's duties unrelated to |
|
providing instruction. |
|
SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 22.05125 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 22.05125. IMMUNITY FROM DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS FOR |
|
CLASSROOM TEACHERS. (a) In this section, "disciplinary |
|
proceeding" has the meaning assigned by Section 22.0512. |
|
(b) A classroom teacher employed by a school district may |
|
not be subject to disciplinary proceedings for an allegation that |
|
the teacher violated Section 28.0022, the Establishment Clause of |
|
the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, or a related |
|
state or federal law if: |
|
(1) the teacher used only instructional material |
|
included on the list of approved instructional material maintained |
|
by the State Board of Education under Section 31.022 and adopted by |
|
the district; and |
|
(2) the allegation does not dispute that the teacher |
|
delivered instruction from instructional material described by |
|
Subdivision (1) with fidelity. |
|
(c) The immunity provided by Subsection (b) is in addition |
|
to any other immunity provided by law. This section may not be |
|
construed to interfere with any other immunity provided by law. |
|
SECTION 5. Section 26.006, Education Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-1) and (f) to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(b) A school district shall make teaching materials and |
|
tests readily available for review by parents both in person and, if |
|
applicable and subject to denial under Section 31.154(e), through |
|
an instructional materials parent portal established under Section |
|
31.154. In providing access to instructional materials to a |
|
student's parent under this section, the district shall: |
|
(1) allow access beginning not later than 30 days |
|
before the school year begins and concluding not earlier than 30 |
|
days after the school year ends; and |
|
(2) include, for the entire period specified in |
|
Subdivision (1), access to all instructional materials that pertain |
|
to each subject area in the grade level in which the student is |
|
enrolled, except for: |
|
(A) tests or exams that have not yet been |
|
administered to the student; and |
|
(B) the student's graded assignments. |
|
(b-1) The district may specify reasonable hours for |
|
in-person review. |
|
(f) A school district that denies a parent access to an |
|
instructional materials parent portal under Section 31.154(e) must |
|
permit the parent to appeal the denial to the board of trustees of |
|
the school district. |
|
SECTION 6. Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding |
|
Section 26.0061 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 26.0061. RIGHT TO REQUEST INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL |
|
REVIEW. (a) The board of trustees of each school district shall |
|
establish a process by which a parent of a student, as indicated on |
|
the student registration form at the student's campus, may request |
|
an instructional material review under Section 31.0252 for a |
|
subject area in the grade level in which the student is enrolled. |
|
(b) A process established under Subsection (a): |
|
(1) may not require more than one parent of a student |
|
to make the request; |
|
(2) must provide for the board of trustees of the |
|
school district to determine if the request will be granted, either |
|
originally or through an appeal process; and |
|
(3) may permit the requesting parent to review the |
|
instructional material directly before the district conducts an |
|
instructional material review under Section 31.0252. |
|
(c) If the parents of at least 25 percent of the students |
|
enrolled at a campus present to the board of trustees of the school |
|
district in which the campus is located a petition for the board to |
|
conduct an instructional material review under Section 31.0252, the |
|
board shall, subject to Subsection (d), conduct the review, unless |
|
the petition is presented by the parents of less than 50 percent of |
|
the students enrolled at the campus and, by a majority vote, the |
|
board denies the request. A review conducted under this subsection |
|
shall include a review of instructional materials for each subject |
|
area or grade level specified in the petition. |
|
(d) The board of trustees of a school district is not |
|
required to conduct a review under this section for a specific |
|
subject area or grade level at a specific district campus more than |
|
once per school year. |
|
(e) Parental access to instructional material provided by |
|
an instructional material review conducted under this section is in |
|
addition to any other right to access instructional material |
|
granted by this title or school district policy. |
|
(f) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to |
|
implement this section. |
|
SECTION 7. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsections (c-4) and (c-5) to read as follows: |
|
(c-4) In adopting essential knowledge and skills for |
|
English language arts under Subsection (a)(1)(A), the State Board |
|
of Education shall specify a list of required vocabulary and at |
|
least one literary work to be taught in each grade level. The |
|
vocabulary specified by the board must support the essential |
|
knowledge and skills adopted for other courses offered under the |
|
foundation curriculum under Subsection (a)(1). |
|
(c-5) The State Board of Education shall initiate the |
|
process of specifying an initial list of vocabulary and literary |
|
works as required by Subsection (c-4) not later than February 1, |
|
2024. The State Board of Education shall request from the agency |
|
recommendations regarding the list, and that request for |
|
recommendations may be considered an initiation of the process. |
|
This subsection expires September 1, 2025. |
|
SECTION 8. The heading to Section 28.0027, Education Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 28.0027. DISTRICT CURRICULUM SCOPE, [AND] SEQUENCE, |
|
AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. |
|
SECTION 9. Sections 28.0027(a) and (b), Education Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) In adopting a recommended or designated scope and |
|
sequence or instructional materials for a subject in the required |
|
curriculum under Section 28.002(a) in a particular grade level, a |
|
school district shall ensure sufficient time is provided for |
|
teachers to teach and students to learn the essential knowledge and |
|
skills for that subject and grade level. |
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a school district |
|
may not penalize a teacher who does not follow the pacing of [a] |
|
recommended or designated instructional materials or the pacing of |
|
the recommended or designated scope and sequence for a subject in |
|
the required curriculum under Section 28.002(a) in a particular |
|
grade level based on the teacher's determination that the teacher's |
|
students need more or less time in a specific area to demonstrate |
|
proficiency in the essential knowledge and skills for that subject |
|
and grade level. |
|
SECTION 10. Section 28.0062, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
|
(a-1) In this subsection, "three-cueing" means a method of |
|
reading instruction for identification of words by which a student |
|
is encouraged to draw on context and sentence structure to read |
|
words without sounding the words out or using a phonics-based |
|
approach. A school district or open-enrollment charter school may |
|
not include any instruction that incorporates three-cueing in the |
|
phonics curriculum required under Subsection (a)(1). |
|
SECTION 11. The heading to Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 31. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY |
|
SECTION 12. Section 31.002, Education Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subdivisions (1) and (1-a) and adding Subdivisions (1-b), |
|
(1-c), and (3) to read as follows: |
|
(1) "Full subject tier one instructional material" |
|
means instructional material designed to, if implemented as |
|
designed, provide a student with mastery of the essential knowledge |
|
and skills adopted by the board for a certain subject and grade |
|
level in the required curriculum under Section 28.002 or for |
|
prekindergarten without the need for supplementation. |
|
(1-a) "Instructional material" means content that |
|
conveys the essential knowledge and skills of a subject in the |
|
public school curriculum through a medium or a combination of media |
|
for conveying information to a student. The term includes: |
|
(A) material used by a teacher, including a |
|
lesson plan, answer key, grading rubric, or unit plan; |
|
(B) material used by a principal or campus |
|
instructional leader to support instruction; and |
|
(C) material used by a student, including a book, |
|
supplementary materials, a combination of a book, workbook, and |
|
supplementary materials, computer software, magnetic media, DVD, |
|
CD-ROM, computer courseware, on-line services, or an electronic |
|
medium, or other means of conveying information to the student or |
|
otherwise contributing to the learning process through electronic |
|
means, including open education resource instructional material. |
|
(1-b) [(1-a)] "Open education resource instructional |
|
material" means teaching, learning, and research resources that |
|
reside in the public domain or have been released under an |
|
intellectual property license that allows for free use, reuse, |
|
modification, and sharing with others, including full courses, |
|
course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, |
|
software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to |
|
support access to knowledge. [The term includes state-developed |
|
open education resource instructional material purchased under |
|
Subchapter B-1.] |
|
(1-c) "Partial subject tier one instructional |
|
material" means instructional material designed to, if implemented |
|
as designed, provide a student with mastery in a portion of the |
|
essential knowledge and skills adopted by the State Board of |
|
Education for a certain subject and grade level in the required |
|
curriculum under Section 28.002 or for prekindergarten without the |
|
need for supplementation in the essential knowledge and skills |
|
covered. |
|
(3) "Supplemental instructional material" means |
|
instructional material designed to assist in the instruction of one |
|
or more of the essential knowledge and skills adopted by the State |
|
Board of Education for a subject in the required curriculum under |
|
Section 28.002 or for prekindergarten. |
|
SECTION 13. Section 31.003, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.003. RULES. (a) The State Board of Education may |
|
adopt rules, consistent with this chapter, for the adoption, |
|
requisition, distribution, care, use, and disposal of |
|
instructional materials. |
|
(b) The commissioner may adopt rules, consistent with this |
|
chapter, as necessary to implement any provision of this chapter. |
|
SECTION 14. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 31.006 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.006. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. The State Board of |
|
Education or the agency may form an advisory committee to comply |
|
with the provisions of this chapter. Chapter 2110, Government |
|
Code, does not apply to an advisory committee formed under this |
|
section. |
|
SECTION 15. Chapter 31, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subchapter A-1, and a heading is added to that subchapter to |
|
read as follows: |
|
SUBCHAPTER A-1. STATE FUNDING FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND |
|
TECHNOLOGY |
|
SECTION 16. Section 31.005, Education Code, is transferred |
|
to Subchapter A-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
|
and redesignated as Section 31.0205 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0205 [31.005]. FUNDING FOR OPEN-ENROLLMENT |
|
CHARTER SCHOOLS. An open-enrollment charter school is entitled to |
|
the instructional materials and technology allotment under this |
|
chapter and is subject to this chapter as if the school were a |
|
school district. |
|
SECTION 17. Sections 31.021, 31.0212, 31.0214, and 31.0215, |
|
Education Code, are transferred to Subchapter A-1, Chapter 31, |
|
Education Code, as added by this Act, and amended to read as |
|
follows: |
|
Sec. 31.021. STATE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY |
|
FUND. (a) The state instructional materials and technology fund |
|
consists of: |
|
(1) an amount set aside by the State Board of Education |
|
from the available school fund, in accordance with Section |
|
43.001(d); and |
|
(2) all amounts lawfully paid into the fund from any |
|
other source. |
|
(c) Money in the state instructional materials and |
|
technology fund shall be used to: |
|
(1) fund the instructional materials and technology |
|
allotment, as provided by Section 31.0211; |
|
(2) purchase special instructional materials for the |
|
education of blind and visually impaired students in public |
|
schools; |
|
(3) pay the expenses associated with the instructional |
|
materials adoption and review process and Internet website |
|
maintained under this chapter; |
|
(4) pay the expenses associated with the purchase, |
|
[or] licensing, printing, or other reproduction of open education |
|
resource instructional material; |
|
(5) pay the expenses associated with the purchase of |
|
instructional material, including freight and shipping and the |
|
insurance expenses associated with freight and shipping; |
|
(6) fund the technology lending grant program |
|
established under Section 32.301; and |
|
(7) provide funding to the Texas School for the Blind |
|
and Visually Impaired, the Texas School for the Deaf, and the Texas |
|
Juvenile Justice Department[; and |
|
[(8) pay the expenses associated with the |
|
instructional materials web portal developed under Section |
|
31.081]. |
|
(d) Money transferred to the state instructional materials |
|
and technology fund remains in the fund until spent and does not |
|
lapse to the state at the end of the fiscal year. |
|
Sec. 31.0212. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY |
|
ACCOUNT. (a) The commissioner shall maintain an instructional |
|
materials and technology account for each school district. In the |
|
first year of each biennium, the commissioner shall deposit in the |
|
account for each district the amount of the district's |
|
instructional materials and technology allotment under Section |
|
31.0211. |
|
(b) The commissioner shall pay the cost of instructional |
|
materials requisitioned by a school district under Section 31.103 |
|
using funds from the district's instructional materials and |
|
technology account. |
|
(c) [A school district may also use funds in the district's |
|
account to purchase electronic instructional materials or |
|
technological equipment. The district shall submit to the |
|
commissioner a request for funds for this purpose from the |
|
district's account. The commissioner shall adopt rules regarding |
|
the documentation a school district must submit to receive funds |
|
under this subsection. |
|
[(d)] Money deposited in a school district's instructional |
|
materials and technology account during each state fiscal biennium |
|
remains in the account and available for use by the district for the |
|
entire biennium. At the end of each biennium, a district with |
|
unused money in the district's account may carry forward any |
|
remaining balance to the next biennium. |
|
(d) A [(e) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary |
|
to implement this section. The rules must include a requirement |
|
that a] school district shall provide to the agency the title and |
|
publication information for any instructional materials |
|
requisitioned or purchased by the district with the district's |
|
instructional materials and technology allotment. |
|
(e) The agency shall provide for the development and |
|
maintenance of an online requisition and disbursement system for |
|
each school district's instructional materials and technology |
|
account. |
|
Sec. 31.0214. ADJUSTMENT FOR HIGH ENROLLMENT GROWTH |
|
DISTRICTS. [(a)] Each year the commissioner shall adjust the |
|
instructional materials and technology allotment of school |
|
districts experiencing high enrollment growth. The commissioner |
|
shall establish a procedure for determining high enrollment growth |
|
districts eligible to receive an adjustment under this section and |
|
the amount of the instructional materials and technology allotment |
|
those districts will receive. |
|
[(b) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to |
|
implement this section.] |
|
Sec. 31.0215. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY |
|
ALLOTMENT PURCHASES. (a) The commissioner shall, as early as |
|
practicable during each biennium, notify each school district and |
|
open-enrollment charter school of the estimated amount to which the |
|
district or charter school will be entitled under Section 31.0211 |
|
during the next fiscal biennium. |
|
(b) The commissioner shall [may] allow a school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school to place an order for instructional |
|
materials before the beginning of a fiscal biennium and to receive |
|
instructional materials before payment. The commissioner shall |
|
limit the cost of an order placed under this section to 80 percent |
|
of the estimated amount to which a school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school is estimated to be entitled as |
|
provided by Subsection (a) and shall first credit any balance in a |
|
district or charter school instructional materials and technology |
|
account to pay for an order placed under this section. |
|
(c) The commissioner shall make payments for orders placed |
|
under this section as funds become available to the instructional |
|
materials and technology fund and shall prioritize payment of |
|
orders placed under this section over reimbursement of purchases |
|
made directly by a school district or open-enrollment charter |
|
school. |
|
(d) The commissioner shall ensure that publishers of |
|
instructional materials are informed of any potential delay in |
|
payment and that payment is subject to the availability of |
|
appropriated funds. A publisher may decline to accept an order |
|
placed under this section. |
|
(e) Chapter 2251, Government Code, does not apply to |
|
purchases of instructional materials under this section. |
|
[(f) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this |
|
section.] |
|
SECTION 18. Section 31.0211, Education Code, as amended by |
|
Chapters 806 (H.B. 1525) and 1003 (H.B. 3261), Acts of the 87th |
|
Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is transferred to Subchapter |
|
A-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, as added by this Act, reenacted, |
|
and amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0211. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY |
|
ALLOTMENT. (a) A school district is entitled to an allotment each |
|
biennium from the state instructional materials and technology fund |
|
for each student enrolled in the district on a date during the last |
|
year of the preceding biennium specified by the commissioner. The |
|
commissioner shall determine the amount of the allotment per |
|
student each biennium on the basis of the amount of money available |
|
in the state instructional materials and technology fund to fund |
|
the allotment. An allotment under this section shall be |
|
transferred from the state instructional materials and technology |
|
fund to the credit of the district's instructional materials and |
|
technology account as provided by Section 31.0212. |
|
(b) A juvenile justice alternative education program under |
|
Section 37.011 is entitled to an allotment from the state |
|
instructional materials and technology fund in an amount determined |
|
by the commissioner. The program shall use the allotment to |
|
purchase items listed in Subsection (c) for students enrolled in |
|
the program. The commissioner's determination under this |
|
subsection is final and may not be appealed. |
|
(c) Funds allotted under this section may be used to: |
|
(1) purchase: |
|
(A) [materials on the list adopted by the |
|
commissioner, as provided by Section 31.0231; |
|
[(B)] instructional materials, regardless of |
|
whether the instructional materials are on the list of approved |
|
instructional materials maintained by the State Board of Education |
|
under Section 31.022 [adopted under Section 31.024]; |
|
(B) [(C)] consumable instructional materials, |
|
including workbooks; |
|
(C) [(D)] instructional materials for use in |
|
bilingual education classes, as provided by Section 31.029; |
|
(D) [(E)] instructional materials for use in |
|
college preparatory courses under Section 28.014, as provided by |
|
Section 31.031; |
|
(E) [(F)] supplemental instructional materials |
|
[, as provided by Section 31.035]; |
|
(F) [(G) state-developed] open education |
|
resource instructional materials, as provided by Subchapter B-1; |
|
(G) [(H)] instructional materials and |
|
technological equipment under any continuing contracts of the |
|
district in effect on September 1, 2011; |
|
(H) [(I)] technological equipment necessary to |
|
support the use of [materials included on the list adopted by the |
|
commissioner under Section 31.0231 or] any instructional materials |
|
purchased with an allotment under this section; |
|
(I) [(J)] inventory software or systems for |
|
storing, managing, and accessing instructional materials and |
|
analyzing the usage and effectiveness of the instructional |
|
materials; and |
|
(J) [(K)] services, equipment, and technology |
|
infrastructure necessary to ensure Internet connectivity and |
|
adequate bandwidth; and |
|
(2) pay: |
|
(A) for training educational personnel directly |
|
involved in student learning in the appropriate use of |
|
instructional materials and for providing for access to |
|
technological equipment for instructional use; |
|
(B) for training personnel in the electronic |
|
administration of assessment instruments; [and] |
|
(C) the salary and other expenses of an employee |
|
who provides technical support for the use of technological |
|
equipment directly involved in student learning; and |
|
(D) [(C)] for costs associated with distance |
|
learning, including Wi-Fi, Internet access hotspots, wireless |
|
network service, broadband service, and other services and |
|
technological equipment necessary to facilitate Internet access. |
|
(d) [Each biennium the commissioner shall assess the |
|
technology needs for all school districts and provide an estimate |
|
of the cost for these resources to the State Board of Education. |
|
[(d-1)] In purchasing technological equipment, a school |
|
district shall: |
|
(1) secure technological solutions that meet the |
|
varying and unique needs of students and teachers in the district; |
|
and |
|
(2) consider: |
|
(A) the long-term cost of ownership; and |
|
(B) flexibility for innovation. |
|
(e) Not later than May 31 of each school year, a school |
|
district may request that the commissioner adjust the number of |
|
students for which the district is entitled to receive an allotment |
|
under Subsection (a) on the grounds that the number of students |
|
attending school in the district will increase or decrease during |
|
the school year for which the allotment is provided. The |
|
commissioner may also adjust the number of students for which a |
|
district is entitled to receive an allotment, without a request by |
|
the district, if the commissioner determines a different number of |
|
students is a more accurate reflection of students who will be |
|
attending school in the district. The commissioner's determination |
|
under this subsection is final. |
|
(f) Funds allotted under this section may not be used to |
|
purchase instructional material that contains obscene or harmful |
|
content or would otherwise cause the school district to which the |
|
funds were allotted to be unable to submit the certification |
|
required under Section 31.1011(a)(1)(B) [The commissioner may |
|
adopt rules as necessary to implement this section]. |
|
SECTION 19. Subchapter A-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, as |
|
added by this Act, is amended by adding Section 31.0216 to read as |
|
follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0216. AGENCY PURCHASE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS |
|
AND TECHNOLOGY. (a) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the |
|
agency may contract directly, including by extending a contract, |
|
for the purchase of instructional materials and technology for use |
|
by school districts. |
|
(b) The provisions of Chapter 2157, Government Code, |
|
requiring a state agency to use a contract or contract terms |
|
developed or preapproved by the Department of Information Resources |
|
do not apply to a contract entered into under this section, but the |
|
agency may participate in a program authorized by that chapter. |
|
SECTION 20. The heading to Subchapter B, Chapter 31, |
|
Education Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
SUBCHAPTER B. STATE REVIEW AND [FUNDING,] ADOPTION[, AND PURCHASE] |
|
SECTION 21. The heading to Section 31.022, Education Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.022. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL |
|
MATERIALS REVIEW AND APPROVAL [ADOPTION]. |
|
SECTION 22. Section 31.022, Education Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) and adding Subsection |
|
(c-1) to read as follows: |
|
(a) The State Board of Education shall [adopt a] review [and |
|
adoption cycle for] instructional materials provided to the board |
|
by the agency under Section 31.023. Before approving instructional |
|
material, the board must determine that the material is free from |
|
factual error and suitable for the subject and grade level for which |
|
the material is designed, and, if the material is intended to cover |
|
the foundational skills reading curriculum in kindergarten through |
|
third grade, does not include three-cueing, as defined by Section |
|
28.0062(a-1). The board shall add each material approved under |
|
this section to a list of approvedinstructionalmaterials and may |
|
add a material not approved under this section to a list of rejected |
|
instructional materials [for elementary grade levels, including |
|
prekindergarten, and secondary grade levels, for each subject in |
|
the required curriculum under Section 28.002. In adopting the |
|
cycle, the board: |
|
[(1) is not required to review and adopt instructional |
|
materials for all grade levels in a single year; and |
|
[(2) shall give priority to instructional materials in |
|
the following subjects: |
|
[(A) foundation curriculum subjects for which |
|
the essential knowledge and skills have been substantially revised |
|
and for which assessment instruments are required under Subchapter |
|
B, Chapter 39, including career and technology courses that satisfy |
|
foundation curriculum requirements as provided by Section |
|
28.002(n); |
|
[(B) foundation curriculum subjects for which |
|
the essential knowledge and skills have been substantially revised, |
|
including career and technology courses that satisfy foundation |
|
curriculum requirements as provided by Section 28.002(n); |
|
[(C) foundation curriculum subjects not |
|
described by Paragraph (A) or (B), including career and technology |
|
courses that satisfy foundation curriculum requirements as |
|
provided by Section 28.002(n); and |
|
[(D) enrichment curriculum subjects]. |
|
(b) [The board shall organize the cycle for subjects in the |
|
foundation curriculum so that not more than one-fourth of the |
|
instructional materials for subjects in the foundation curriculum |
|
are reviewed each biennium.] The State Board of Education may adopt |
|
criteria necessary for approval of instructional material under |
|
Subsection (a) and may require: |
|
(1) all instructional material submitted as full |
|
subject tier one instructional material to cover a minimum |
|
percentage, as determined by the board, of the essential knowledge |
|
and skills adopted for the subject and grade level for which the |
|
material is designed; |
|
(2) electronic samples of the material; |
|
(3) certain physical specifications; and |
|
(4) the instructional material to not contain obscene |
|
or harmful content and otherwise be compatible with certification |
|
requirements under Section 31.1011(a)(1)(B) [board shall adopt |
|
rules to provide for a full and complete investigation of |
|
instructional materials for each subject in the foundation |
|
curriculum every eight years. The adoption of instructional |
|
materials for a subject in the foundation curriculum may be |
|
extended beyond the eight-year period only if the content of |
|
instructional materials for a subject is sufficiently current]. |
|
(c) The State Board of Education may remove instructional |
|
material from the list of approved instructional materials under |
|
this section if the essential knowledge and skills intended to be |
|
covered by the material are revised or the material is revised |
|
without the approval of the board [board shall adopt rules to |
|
provide for a full and complete investigation of instructional |
|
materials for each subject in the enrichment curriculum on a cycle |
|
the board considers appropriate]. |
|
(c-1) If the State Board of Education intends to remove an |
|
instructional material from the list of approved instructional |
|
materials under Subsection (c) because the board plans to revise |
|
the essential knowledge and skills intended to be covered by the |
|
material, the board shall issue a proclamation requesting the |
|
revision of the applicable instructional materials and shall, not |
|
later than December 1 of the year preceding the school year for |
|
which the revision will take effect, provide to each school |
|
district the updated list of approved instructional materials for |
|
the relevant subject or grade level. |
|
(d) The State Board of Education shall indicate whether each |
|
instructional material reviewed under Subsection (a) is capable of |
|
being made available through an instructional materials parent |
|
portal established under Section 31.154 [At least 12 months before |
|
the beginning of the school year for which instructional materials |
|
for a particular subject and grade level will be adopted under the |
|
review and adoption cycle, the board shall publish notice of the |
|
review and adoption cycle for those instructional materials. A |
|
request for production must allow submission of open education |
|
resource instructional materials that are available for use by the |
|
state without charge on the same basis as instructional materials |
|
offered for sale]. |
|
SECTION 23. Section 31.023, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.023. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL REVIEW [LIST]. (a) |
|
The commissioner shall establish, in consultation and with the |
|
approval of the State Board of Education, a process for the annual |
|
review of instructional materials by the agency. The process |
|
established under this subsection must: |
|
(1) establish a process for the agency to select |
|
instructional materials for review that includes: |
|
(A) evaluating requests for review of |
|
instructional materials submitted to the agency by: |
|
(i) a school district; |
|
(ii) a majority of the members of the State |
|
Board of Education; or |
|
(iii) a publisher of instructional |
|
material; |
|
(B) reviewing instructional materials |
|
requisitioned or purchased under Section 31.0212; and |
|
(C) reviewing instructional materials using a |
|
time frame appropriate for the proclamation requesting the revision |
|
of the instructional materials under Section 31.022(c-1) to address |
|
revisions made by the State Board of Education to the essential |
|
knowledge and skills for a particular subject or grade level; |
|
(2) describe the types of instructional materials the |
|
agency may review, including: |
|
(A) partial subject tier one instructional |
|
material, including those designed for use in the phonics |
|
curriculum required under Section 28.0062(a)(1); |
|
(B) open education resource instructional |
|
material; |
|
(C) instructional materials developed by a |
|
school district and submitted to the agency by the district for |
|
review; and |
|
(D) commercially available full subject tier one |
|
instructional material; |
|
(3) establish procedures for the agency to conduct |
|
reviews of instructional materials, including: |
|
(A) the use of a rubric approved under Subsection |
|
(b); and |
|
(B) consultation with classroom teachers and |
|
other curriculum experts for the appropriate subject and grade |
|
level; and |
|
(4) ensure the procedures for review allow the agency |
|
to review at least 200 individual instructional materials each year |
|
[For each subject and grade level, the State Board of Education |
|
shall adopt a list of instructional materials. The list includes |
|
each instructional material submitted for the subject and grade |
|
level that meets applicable physical specifications adopted by the |
|
State Board of Education and contains material covering at least |
|
half of the elements of the essential knowledge and skills of the |
|
subject and grade level in the student version of the instructional |
|
material, as well as in the teacher version of the instructional |
|
material, as determined by the State Board of Education under |
|
Section 28.002 and adopted under Section 31.024]. |
|
[(a-1) The State Board of Education shall determine the |
|
percentage of the elements of the essential knowledge and skills of |
|
the subject and grade level covered by each instructional material |
|
submitted. The board's determination under this subsection is |
|
final.] |
|
(b) In conducting a review under this section, the agency |
|
must use a rubric developed by the agency in consultation with and |
|
approved by the State Board of Education that includes, with |
|
respect to the instructional material being reviewed, a |
|
determination of: |
|
(1) whether the material is free from factual error |
|
and satisfies the criteria adopted by the board under Section |
|
31.022; |
|
(2) the quality of the material; |
|
(3) the essential knowledge and skills for the subject |
|
and grade level for which the material was developed that are |
|
covered by the material, including identification of: |
|
(A) each essential knowledge and skill covered by |
|
the material; |
|
(B) for a full subject tier one instructional |
|
material, the percentage of the essential knowledge and skills |
|
adopted for the subject and grade level covered by the material; and |
|
(C) for a partial subject tier one instructional |
|
material, the percentage of the essential knowledge and skills for |
|
the relevant portion of the subject and grade level covered by the |
|
material; and |
|
(4) whether the material contains obscene or harmful |
|
content or is otherwise incompatible with certification |
|
requirements under Section 31.1011(a)(1)(B) [Each instructional |
|
material on the list must be: |
|
[(1) free from factual errors; |
|
[(2) suitable for the subject and grade level for |
|
which the instructional material was submitted; and |
|
[(3) reviewed by academic experts in the subject and |
|
grade level for which the instructional material was submitted]. |
|
(c) After completing a review under this section, the agency |
|
shall provide the results of the review and any related |
|
recommendations to the State Board of Education for approval or |
|
rejection of the instructional material and the inclusion of the |
|
instructional material on a list maintained by the State Board of |
|
Education under Section 31.022. |
|
(d) The agency shall use funds appropriated to the agency |
|
for the purposes of reviewing instructional material or available |
|
in the state instructional materials and technology fund for |
|
purposes of implementing this section. |
|
(e) A process established under Subsection (a) or a rubric |
|
developed under Subsection (b) is automatically approved by the |
|
State Board of Education if not rejected by the board before the |
|
91st day after the date the agency submits the item to the board. |
|
SECTION 24. Subchapter B, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Sections 31.025, 31.0251, and 31.0252 to read as |
|
follows: |
|
Sec. 31.025. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL INTERNET WEBSITE. (a) |
|
The agency shall develop and maintain an instructional material |
|
Internet website to assist school districts in locating and |
|
selecting instructional material. |
|
(b) For each instructional material included, the Internet |
|
website developed and maintained under this section shall provide: |
|
(1) the price of the material; |
|
(2) the technological requirements needed to use the |
|
material; |
|
(3) the results of an agency review of the material |
|
conducted under Section 31.023; |
|
(4) a statement of whether the material is included on |
|
the list of approved instructional materials maintained by the |
|
State Board of Education under Section 31.022 or has been rejected |
|
by the board; and |
|
(5) any other information the agency determines |
|
relevant to a school district's selection of instructional |
|
material. |
|
(c) The Internet website developed and maintained under |
|
this section must include the repository of open education resource |
|
instructional material required by Section 31.0722. |
|
(d) The agency shall use funds appropriated to the agency |
|
for the purposes of reviewing instructional material or available |
|
in the state instructional materials and technology fund for |
|
purposes of implementing this section. |
|
Sec. 31.0251. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL SUPPORT. (a) On |
|
request of a school district, the agency shall provide the district |
|
assistance in evaluating, adopting, or using instructional |
|
materials. |
|
(b) Except as otherwise provided, the agency may not require |
|
a school district to adopt or otherwise use instructional material |
|
reviewed by the agency under Section 31.023 or included on the list |
|
of approved instructional materials maintained by the State Board |
|
of Education under Section 31.022. |
|
Sec. 31.0252. LOCAL REVIEW OF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONAL |
|
MATERIAL. (a) The agency shall develop standards in consultation |
|
with stakeholders, including educators, by which a school district |
|
may conduct a review of instructional materials used by a classroom |
|
teacher in a foundation curriculum course under Section |
|
28.002(a)(1) to determine the degree to which the material: |
|
(1) corresponds with the instructional materials |
|
adopted by the school district or district campus; and |
|
(2) meets the level of rigor of the essential |
|
knowledge and skills adopted under Section 28.002 for the grade |
|
level in which it is being used. |
|
(b) The agency shall develop a rubric, approved by the State |
|
Board of Education, to determine if reviewed instructional material |
|
complies with the rigor requirements described by Subsection |
|
(a)(2). |
|
(c) The agency, in developing standards under Subsection |
|
(a): |
|
(1) shall minimize, to the extent possible, the time a |
|
classroom teacher is required to spend complying with a review |
|
conducted under this section; |
|
(2) may not, unless unavoidable, require a teacher to |
|
spend more than 30 minutes on a single review conducted under this |
|
section; and |
|
(3) may not authorize the review of instructional |
|
materials used by a classroom teacher for a specific subject or |
|
grade level at a specific school district campus more than once per |
|
school year. |
|
(d) The agency shall permit a regional education service |
|
center or a curriculum review service provider approved by the |
|
agency to conduct the review for a school district under this |
|
section and provide to approved centers and providers training |
|
relating to appropriately conducting the review. |
|
(e) The agency shall award grants to assist school districts |
|
in conducting reviews under this section. |
|
SECTION 25. Sections 31.026(a) and (b), Education Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) The State Board of Education may [shall] execute a |
|
contract for the purchase or licensing of each adopted |
|
instructional material. |
|
(b) A contract must require the publisher to provide the |
|
number of instructional materials required by school districts in |
|
this state for the term of the contract[, which must coincide with |
|
the board's adoption cycle]. |
|
SECTION 26. The heading to Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31, |
|
Education Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
SUBCHAPTER B-1. [STATE-DEVELOPED] OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE |
|
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS |
|
SECTION 27. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 31.0701 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0701. REFERENCES TO STATE-DEVELOPED OPEN EDUCATION |
|
RESOURCE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. In this chapter, a reference to a |
|
state-developed open education resource instructional material |
|
means an open education resource instructional material, as defined |
|
by Section 31.002. |
|
SECTION 28. Section 31.071, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.071. AVAILABILITY OF OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE |
|
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL [PURCHASE AUTHORITY]. (a) The commissioner |
|
shall ensure that [may purchase state-developed] open education |
|
resource instructional materials are available for use by school |
|
districts in accordance with this subchapter. |
|
(b) To ensure the availability of open education resource |
|
instructional materials under Subsection (a), the [The] |
|
commissioner may: |
|
(1) purchase a license authorizing the use of [shall |
|
purchase any state-developed] open education resource |
|
instructional materials [through a competitive process]; |
|
(2) purchase or otherwise acquire ownership of open |
|
education resource instructional materials; |
|
(3) develop open education resource instructional |
|
materials; |
|
(4) adopt open education resource instructional |
|
materials; or |
|
(5) use any combination of the methods described by |
|
Subdivisions (1), (2), (3), and (4) to acquire open education |
|
resource instructional materials. |
|
(b-1) The commissioner [and |
|
[(2)] may make available [purchase] more than one |
|
[state-developed] open education resource instructional material |
|
for a subject or grade level. |
|
(b-2) The commissioner shall: |
|
(1) to the extent practicable, ensure full subject |
|
tier one instructional materials are available as open education |
|
resource instructional material for: |
|
(A) English language arts and mathematics |
|
courses in kindergarten through grade eight; |
|
(B) prekindergarten, in subject areas related to |
|
English language arts and mathematics; and |
|
(C) all foundation curriculum courses in |
|
kindergarten through grade five in a manner that permits the |
|
instruction of the content to be provided: |
|
(i) in an integrated manner; and |
|
(ii) for approximately 240 minutes of |
|
instructional time per day, including time needed each day for |
|
accelerated instruction under Section 28.0211; and |
|
(2) ensure open education resource instructional |
|
materials are available to all students, parents, classroom |
|
teachers, and school districts in this state free of charge, except |
|
for a fee for the printing or shipping of the material. |
|
(c) Except as provided by Section 31.0711, an [a |
|
state-developed] open education resource instructional material |
|
must be licensed to this state under an intellectual property |
|
license that allows for free use, reuse, modification, or sharing |
|
with others as described by Section 31.07101 [irrevocably owned by |
|
the state. The state must have unlimited authority to modify, |
|
delete, combine, or add content to the instructional material after |
|
purchase]. |
|
(d) [The commissioner may issue a request for proposals for |
|
state-developed open education resource instructional material: |
|
[(1) in accordance with the instructional material |
|
review and adoption cycle under Section 31.022; or |
|
[(2) at any other time the commissioner determines |
|
that a need exists for additional instructional material options. |
|
[(e)] The costs of administering this subchapter and |
|
ensuring the availability of [purchasing state-developed] open |
|
education resource instructional materials shall be paid from funds |
|
appropriated for the purpose and the state instructional materials |
|
and technology fund, as determined by the commissioner. |
|
SECTION 29. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 31.07101 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.07101. FREE USE, REUSE, MODIFICATION, OR SHARING |
|
LICENSE. (a) Instructional material is licensed to this state |
|
under an intellectual property license that allows for free use, |
|
reuse, modification, or sharing with others if the license: |
|
(1) is irrevocable and perpetual; |
|
(2) permits the state to sublicense the material; |
|
(3) authorizes the use of the material by any person in |
|
any location permitted by the terms of the original license, if |
|
applicable; |
|
(4) authorizes access, use, transmission, adaptation, |
|
public display, public performance, public distribution, and |
|
copying of the material; and |
|
(5) authorizes the creation of derivative works as |
|
permitted by the terms of the original license, if applicable. |
|
(b) Instructional material licensed to this state under an |
|
intellectual property license that is restricted to noncommercial |
|
or educational use qualifies under this subchapter as instructional |
|
material licensed to this state under a license that allows for free |
|
use, reuse, modification, or sharing with others. |
|
SECTION 30. Section 31.0711, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0711. CONTENT NOT OWNED BY STATE. Open education |
|
resource instructional [Instructional] material made available |
|
[purchased] under this subchapter may include content not owned by |
|
the state and for which preexisting rights may exist if the content: |
|
(1) is in the public domain; |
|
(2) may be used under a limitation or exception to |
|
copyright law, including a limitation under Section 107, Copyright |
|
Act of 1976 (17 U.S.C. Section 107); [or] |
|
(3) has been made available by the copyright owner |
|
under a Creative Commons license or another intellectual property |
|
license that allows for free use, reuse, modification, or sharing |
|
as described by Section 31.07101; or |
|
(4) is licensed to the state under another [a] license |
|
that: |
|
(A) grants access to and allows for use of the |
|
material by students, teachers, educators, and other education |
|
professionals [the state unlimited authority to modify, delete, |
|
combine, or add content]; |
|
(B) permits access, use, public display, public |
|
performance, public distribution, and copying of the material for |
|
noncommercial or educational purposes [the free use and repurposing |
|
of the material by any person or entity]; and |
|
(C) is for a term of use acceptable to the |
|
commissioner to ensure a useful life of the material. |
|
SECTION 31. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 31.0712 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0712. OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE ADVISORY BOARD. The |
|
agency shall establish an open education resource advisory board to |
|
ensure that open education resource instructional materials made |
|
available under this subchapter are: |
|
(1) of the highest quality; |
|
(2) aligned with the essential knowledge and skills |
|
adopted by the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 for the |
|
applicable subject and grade level; |
|
(3) suitable for the age of students at the grade level |
|
for which the materials are developed; |
|
(4) free from bias and factual error; and |
|
(5) in compliance with Section 28.0022. |
|
SECTION 32. Section 31.072, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.072. CONTENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) Before being made |
|
available under this subchapter, [State-developed] open education |
|
resource instructional material must[: |
|
[(1)] be evaluated by: |
|
(1) teachers or other experts, as determined by the |
|
commissioner[, before purchase]; and |
|
(2) parents of students in this state [meet the |
|
requirements for inclusion on the instructional material list |
|
adopted under Section 31.023]. |
|
(b) Based on feedback received by the agency from teachers, |
|
parents, and other experts regarding open education resource |
|
instructional materials made available under this subchapter, the |
|
[Following a curriculum revision by the State Board of Education, |
|
the commissioner shall require the revision of state-developed open |
|
education resource instructional material relating to that |
|
curriculum. The] commissioner may, at any time, require an |
|
additional revision of the [state-developed open education |
|
resource instructional] material [or contract for ongoing |
|
revisions of state-developed open education resource instructional |
|
material for a period not to exceed the period under Section 31.022 |
|
for which instructional material for that subject and grade level |
|
may be adopted. The commissioner shall use a competitive process to |
|
request proposals to revise state-developed open education |
|
resource instructional material under this subsection]. |
|
SECTION 33. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 31.0721 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0721. REVIEW AND RELEASE OF OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE |
|
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), |
|
open education resource instructional material may not be made |
|
available under this subchapter to students, teachers, educators, |
|
or other education professionals before being reviewed by the |
|
agency under Section 31.023 and included on the list of approved |
|
instructional materials maintained by the State Board of Education |
|
under Section 31.022. |
|
(b) The agency may make open education resource |
|
instructional material available to a limited number of classroom |
|
teachers for a limited time before the material is reviewed by the |
|
agency under Section 31.023 and included on the list of approved |
|
instructional materials maintained by the State Board of Education |
|
under Section 31.022 to assist in developing or testing the quality |
|
of the material. A school district may only use unreviewed material |
|
made available under this subsection in a grade level in which the |
|
material has not been used previously if: |
|
(1) the board of trustees of the district approves the |
|
use of the unreviewed material; and |
|
(2) the district provides evidence to the agency |
|
showing that classroom teachers support the use of the material. |
|
SECTION 34. Section 31.083, Education Code, is transferred |
|
to Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, redesignated as |
|
Section 31.0722, Education Code, and amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0722 [31.083]. OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE |
|
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS REPOSITORY. (a) The commissioner shall |
|
include in the Internet website [web portal] developed under |
|
Section 31.025 [31.081] a repository of open education resource |
|
instructional materials, including open education resource |
|
instructional materials made available under Section 31.0721(b), |
|
and other electronic instructional materials that school districts |
|
and open-enrollment charter schools may access at no cost. |
|
(b) The repository under Subsection (a) must: |
|
(1) comply with the requirements of Section 31.154; |
|
and |
|
(2) allow a person to provide comments on open |
|
education resource instructional material contained in the |
|
repository to assist the agency in improving and updating the |
|
material. |
|
(c) The agency shall ensure that a person may order a print |
|
copy of any open education resource instructional material included |
|
in the repository that is reducible to print [A publisher may submit |
|
instructional materials for inclusion in the repository]. |
|
SECTION 35. Sections 31.073 and 31.074, Education Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.073. SELECTION BY SCHOOL DISTRICT. (a) Except as |
|
otherwise provided by this code, the commissioner may not require a |
|
school district or open-enrollment charter school to adopt or use |
|
an open education resource instructional material. |
|
(c) A [Notwithstanding Section 31.022, a] school district |
|
or open-enrollment charter school may adopt [state-developed] open |
|
education resource instructional material at any time[, regardless |
|
of the instructional material review and adoption cycle under that |
|
section]. |
|
(d) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may |
|
not be charged for a cost associated with the selection of an |
|
[state-developed] open education resource instructional material, |
|
except for the cost of printing copies of the material [in addition |
|
to instructional material adopted under Subchapter B]. |
|
Sec. 31.074. DISTRIBUTION. (a) The commissioner shall |
|
provide for the distribution of [state-developed] open education |
|
resource instructional materials in a manner consistent with |
|
distribution of instructional materials approved [adopted] under |
|
Subchapter B. |
|
(b) The commissioner may use a competitive process to |
|
contract for printing, [or] other reproduction, or storage of |
|
[state-developed] open education resource instructional material |
|
on behalf of a school district or open-enrollment charter school. |
|
The commissioner may not require a school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school to contract with a state-approved |
|
provider for the printing, [or] reproduction, or storage of |
|
[state-developed] open education resource instructional material. |
|
(c) The agency is not required to comply with Subchapters C |
|
and D, Chapter 2052, Government Code, with regard to the printing or |
|
reproduction of an open education resource instructional material |
|
made available under this subchapter. |
|
SECTION 36. The heading to Section 31.075, Education Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.075. STATE OWNERSHIP; LICENSING. |
|
SECTION 37. Sections 31.075(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e), |
|
Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, |
|
[State-developed] open education resource instructional material |
|
is the property of the state. |
|
(b) To encourage the use of instructional material |
|
purchased by the state under this subchapter by school districts |
|
and open-enrollment charter schools, the commissioner may [shall] |
|
provide a license for the instructional material that [allows for |
|
the free use, reuse, modification, or sharing of the material by any |
|
person or entity. |
|
[(c) The terms of a license provided by the commissioner |
|
under this section]: |
|
(1) requires [shall require] that a user who |
|
reproduces the instructional material in any manner: |
|
(A) except as provided by Subdivision (2)(A), |
|
must keep all copyright notices for the material intact; |
|
(B) except as provided by Subdivision (2)(A), |
|
must attribute the authorship of the material to the agency or |
|
another person specified by the commissioner; |
|
(C) must indicate if the user has modified the |
|
material; |
|
(D) may not assert or imply any connection with |
|
or sponsorship or endorsement by the agency or this state, unless |
|
authorized by the commissioner; and |
|
(E) to the extent reasonably practicable, must |
|
provide in any product or derivative material a uniform resource |
|
identifier or hyperlink through which a person may obtain the |
|
material free of charge; |
|
(2) provides [must provide] that: |
|
(A) the commissioner may request that a user |
|
remove a copyright notice or attribution from the material and that |
|
a user must comply with the request to the extent reasonably |
|
practicable; and |
|
(B) the rights granted under the license to a |
|
user are automatically terminated if the user fails to comply with |
|
the terms of the license; and |
|
(3) includes [may include] any additional terms |
|
determined by the commissioner. |
|
(d) The commissioner may exempt a license under this section |
|
from including one or more of the requirements under Subsection |
|
(b)(1) [(c)(1)]. |
|
(e) The commissioner shall determine what is considered |
|
reasonably practicable for purposes of Subsections (b)(1)(E) |
|
[(c)(1)(E)] and (b)(2)(A) [(c)(2)(A)]. |
|
SECTION 38. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Sections 31.0751, 31.0752, and 31.0753 to read as |
|
follows: |
|
Sec. 31.0751. OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE INSTRUCTIONAL |
|
MATERIAL TRANSITION PLAN. (a) Except as provided by Subsection |
|
(c), to qualify for additional state aid under Section 48.308 the |
|
board of trustees of a school district must adopt an open education |
|
resource instructional material transition plan to assist |
|
classroom teachers in the district who will be using an open |
|
education resource instructional material in a specific subject or |
|
grade level for which the teacher has not previously used an open |
|
education resource instructional material. |
|
(b) A plan adopted under this section must ensure that open |
|
education resource instructional materials are used in a manner |
|
that maintains the instructional flexibility of a classroom teacher |
|
to address the needs of each student. |
|
(c) A school district that participates in the program |
|
developed and maintained by the agency under Section 31.0752 is not |
|
required to adopt a transition plan under this section. |
|
Sec. 31.0752. OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE INSTRUCTIONAL |
|
MATERIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM. The agency shall develop and maintain a |
|
program to assist school districts and open-enrollment charter |
|
schools in adopting and using open education resource instructional |
|
material made available under this subchapter, including by |
|
assisting districts and schools to: |
|
(1) maintain the instructional flexibility of |
|
classroom teachers to address the needs of each student; and |
|
(2) schedule instructional periods in a manner that |
|
allows classroom teachers sufficient time to effectively prepare |
|
and present instructional material within the teacher's normal work |
|
day. |
|
Sec. 31.0753. TEACHER CANDIDATE ACCESS AND SUPPORT PROGRAM. |
|
The agency shall develop and maintain a program to assist educator |
|
preparation programs in implementing Section 21.044(a-1)(4). |
|
SECTION 39. Section 31.076(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) A decision made by the commissioner under this |
|
subchapter [regarding the purchase, revision, cost, licensing, or |
|
distribution of state-developed open education resource |
|
instructional material] is final and may not be appealed. |
|
SECTION 40. Section 31.004, Education Code, is transferred |
|
to Subchapter C, Chapter 31, Education Code, redesignated as |
|
Section 31.1011, Education Code, and amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.1011 [31.004]. CERTIFICATION OF PROVISION OF |
|
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. (a) Each school district and |
|
open-enrollment charter school shall annually certify to the State |
|
Board of Education and the commissioner that: |
|
(1) [,] for each subject in the required curriculum |
|
under Section 28.002, other than physical education, and each grade |
|
level, the district or school: |
|
(A) provides each student with instructional |
|
materials that cover all elements of the essential knowledge and |
|
skills adopted by the State Board of Education for that subject and |
|
grade level; and |
|
(B) in the provision of instructional materials, |
|
protects students from obscene or harmful content as necessary for |
|
compliance with: |
|
(i) the Children's Internet Protection Act |
|
(Pub. L. No. 106-554); |
|
(ii) Section 28.0022; |
|
(iii) Section 43.22, Penal Code; and |
|
(iv) any other law or regulation that |
|
protects students from obscene or harmful content; and |
|
(2) the district or school used money allocated to the |
|
district or school under the instructional materials and technology |
|
allotment only for purposes allowed under Section 31.0211. |
|
(b) To determine whether each student has instructional |
|
materials that cover all elements of the essential knowledge and |
|
skills as required by Subsection (a), a school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school may consider: |
|
(1) instructional materials adopted by the State Board |
|
of Education; |
|
(2) [materials adopted or purchased by the |
|
commissioner under Section 31.0231 or Subchapter B-1; |
|
[(3) open education resource instructional materials |
|
submitted by eligible institutions and adopted by the State Board |
|
of Education under Section 31.0241; |
|
[(4) open education resource instructional materials |
|
made available by other public schools; |
|
[(5)] instructional materials developed, [or] |
|
purchased, or otherwise acquired by the school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school; and |
|
(3) [(6)] open education resource instructional |
|
materials and other electronic instructional materials included in |
|
the repository under Section 31.0722 [31.083]. |
|
SECTION 41. Subchapter C, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 31.1012 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.1012. REPORT TO AGENCY. Each school district shall |
|
annually report to the agency information regarding the |
|
instructional materials used by the district during the previous |
|
school year, including the cost of each material, to assist the |
|
agency in ensuring compliance with Section 31.151(a). |
|
SECTION 42. The heading to Section 31.102, Education Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.102. TITLE AND CUSTODY; SCHOOL DISTRICT PURCHASES. |
|
SECTION 43. Section 31.102, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
|
(d) A school district is not required to use a method |
|
provided by Section 44.031(a) to purchase instructional materials |
|
that have been reviewed by the agency under Section 31.023 and |
|
included on the list of approved instructional materials maintained |
|
by the State Board of Education under Section 31.022. |
|
SECTION 44. Section 31.103(c), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(c) In making a requisition under this section, a school |
|
district or open-enrollment charter school may requisition |
|
instructional materials [on the list adopted under Section 31.023] |
|
for grades above the grade level in which a student is enrolled. |
|
SECTION 45. Section 31.151, Education Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
|
follows: |
|
(a) A publisher or manufacturer of instructional materials: |
|
(1) shall furnish any instructional material the |
|
publisher or manufacturer offers in this state at a price that does |
|
not exceed the lowest price at which the publisher offers that |
|
instructional material for adoption or sale to any state, public |
|
school, or school district in the United States; |
|
(2) shall automatically reduce the price of |
|
instructional material sold for use in a school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school to the extent that the price is |
|
reduced elsewhere in the United States; |
|
(3) shall provide any instructional material or |
|
ancillary item free of charge in this state to the same extent that |
|
the publisher or manufacturer provides the instructional material |
|
or ancillary item free of charge to any state, public school, or |
|
school district in the United States; |
|
(4) shall guarantee that each copy of instructional |
|
material sold in this state is at least equal in quality to copies |
|
of that instructional material sold elsewhere in the United States |
|
and is free from factual error; |
|
(5) may not become associated or connected with, |
|
directly or indirectly, any combination in restraint of trade in |
|
instructional materials or enter into any understanding or |
|
combination to control prices or restrict competition in the sale |
|
of instructional materials for use in this state; |
|
(6) shall deliver instructional materials to a |
|
school district or open-enrollment charter school; |
|
(7) shall, at the time an order for instructional |
|
materials is acknowledged, provide to school districts or |
|
open-enrollment charter schools an accurate shipping date for |
|
instructional materials that are back-ordered; |
|
(8) shall guarantee delivery of instructional |
|
materials at least 10 business days before the opening day of school |
|
of the year for which the instructional materials are ordered if the |
|
instructional materials are ordered by a date specified in the |
|
sales contract; [and] |
|
(9) shall submit to the State Board of Education an |
|
affidavit certifying any instructional material the publisher or |
|
manufacturer offers in this state to be free of factual errors at |
|
the time the publisher executes the contract required by Section |
|
31.026; and |
|
(10) shall comply with all other standard terms and |
|
conditions adopted by the State Board of Education for use in |
|
contracts for the procurement of instructional materials under |
|
Subsection (a-1). |
|
(a-1) The State Board of Education shall adopt standard |
|
terms and conditions for use in contracts for the procurement of |
|
instructional materials from publishers and manufacturers under |
|
this section. |
|
SECTION 46. Subchapter D, Chapter 31, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 31.154 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 31.154. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS PARENT PORTAL. (a) |
|
The board shall adopt standards for entities that supply |
|
instructional materials reviewed by the agency under Section 31.023 |
|
to make instructional materials supplied by the entity available on |
|
a parent portal hosted by the entity. |
|
(b) An instructional materials parent portal must: |
|
(1) provide to each parent of a student enrolled in a |
|
school district or open-enrollment charter school access to |
|
instructional material that is included in the portal and used by |
|
the district or school; |
|
(2) organize instructional material by unit and in the |
|
order in which the material is designed to be used; |
|
(3) be capable of being searched by key word; and |
|
(4) for instructional material not available in a |
|
digital format, contain sufficient information to allow a parent to |
|
locate a physical copy of the material. |
|
(c) Standards adopted under Subsection (a) may not require a |
|
classroom teacher to submit instructional materials developed by |
|
the teacher for inclusion in an instructional materials parent |
|
portal. |
|
(d) To comply with an intellectual property license or other |
|
restrictions placed on an instructional material and to maintain |
|
security of the information contained in an instructional materials |
|
parent portal under this section, a parent may be required, before |
|
accessing the portal, to: |
|
(1) enter a password; |
|
(2) comply with other user access verification |
|
procedures; and |
|
(3) accept user terms and conditions, which may not |
|
limit or exclude access to instructional material based on the uses |
|
of the material that would otherwise be permitted under fair use |
|
provisions of copyright law. |
|
(e) A parent's access to an instructional materials parent |
|
portal under this section may be temporarily denied if the parent |
|
fails or refuses to comply with a restriction under Subsection (d). |
|
(f) An entity that hosts an instructional materials parent |
|
portal must comply with requests regarding parental access to the |
|
portal made by a school district in compliance with this section or |
|
Section 26.006. |
|
SECTION 47. Section 33.004(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) Each school, before implementing a comprehensive school |
|
counseling program under Section 33.005, shall annually conduct a |
|
preview of the program for parents and guardians. All materials, |
|
including curriculum to be used during the year that is not |
|
available digitally through an instructional materials parent |
|
portal under Section 31.154, must be available for a parent or |
|
guardian to preview during school hours. Materials or curriculum |
|
not included in the materials on an instructional materials parent |
|
portal or available on the campus for preview may not be used. |
|
SECTION 48. Section 48.277(b), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(b) For purposes of calculating maintenance and operations |
|
revenue under Subsection (a), the commissioner shall: |
|
(1) for purposes of Subsections (a)(1) and (2), use |
|
the following applicable school year: |
|
(A) in a school year ending in an even-numbered |
|
year, the 2019-2020 school year; and |
|
(B) in a school year ending in an odd-numbered |
|
year, the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year, whichever is greater; |
|
(2) include all state and local funding, except for |
|
any funding resulting from: |
|
(A) reimbursement for disaster remediation costs |
|
under former Sections 41.0931 and 42.2524; |
|
(B) an adjustment for rapid decline in taxable |
|
value of property under former Section 42.2521; [and] |
|
(C) an adjustment for property value affected by |
|
a state of disaster under former Section 42.2523; and |
|
(D) additional state aid under Section 48.307 or |
|
48.308; |
|
(3) adjust the calculation to reflect a reduction in |
|
tax effort by a school district; and |
|
(4) if a school district or open-enrollment charter |
|
school receives a waiver relating to eligibility requirements for |
|
the national free or reduced-price lunch program under 42 U.S.C. |
|
Section 1751 et seq., use the numbers of educationally |
|
disadvantaged students on which the district's or school's |
|
entitlement to compensatory education funds was based for the |
|
school year before the school year in which the district or school |
|
received the waiver, adjusted for estimated enrollment growth. |
|
SECTION 49. Subchapter G, Chapter 48, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Sections 48.307 and 48.308 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.307. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR STATE-APPROVED |
|
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. (a) For each student enrolled in the |
|
district, a school district is entitled to additional state aid for |
|
each school year in an amount equal to $40, or a greater amount |
|
provided by appropriation, to procure instruction material that has |
|
been: |
|
(1) reviewed by the agency under Section 31.023; |
|
(2) placed on the list of approved instructional |
|
materials maintained by the State Board of Education under Section |
|
31.022; |
|
(3) designated by the State Board of Education under |
|
Section 31.022 as being included or capable of being included in an |
|
instructional materials parent portal under Section 31.154; and |
|
(4) acquired from a publisher, manufacturer, or other |
|
entity that has not been found to violate Section 31.151. |
|
(b) A school district is entitled to the amount of state aid |
|
provided by Subsection (a) each school year, regardless of whether |
|
the district uses the amount during the school year for which the |
|
amount was provided. |
|
(c) Additional state aid provided under this section shall |
|
be deposited to the credit of the district's instructional |
|
materials and technology account maintained by the commissioner |
|
under Section 31.0212 and may be accessed only for the procurement |
|
of instructional materials in accordance with this section. |
|
(d) Funds provided to a school district under this section |
|
must be spent in compliance with the requirements for the use of |
|
funds provided under this section and Section 31.0211. |
|
Sec. 48.308. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR OPEN EDUCATION |
|
RESOURCE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. (a) Subject to Section 31.0751, a |
|
school district is entitled to additional state aid for each school |
|
year in an amount not to exceed $20 for each student for the costs |
|
incurred or for which the district is obligated to pay during the |
|
school year in which the aid is provided for the printing and |
|
shipping of open education resource instructional material made |
|
available under Subchapter B-1, Chapter 31. |
|
(b) The amount to which a school district is entitled under |
|
this section may not exceed actual costs incurred by the district or |
|
for which the district is obligated to pay during the school year |
|
for which the funds were provided. |
|
(c) Additional state aid provided under this section shall |
|
be deposited to the credit of the district's instructional |
|
materials and technology account maintained by the commissioner |
|
under Section 31.0212 and may be accessed only for the procurement |
|
of instructional materials in accordance with this section. |
|
(d) Funds provided to a school district under this section |
|
must be spent in compliance with the requirements for the use of |
|
funds provided under this section and Section 31.0211. |
|
SECTION 50. The following provisions of the Education Code |
|
are repealed: |
|
(1) Section 31.0213; |
|
(2) Sections 31.022(d-1), (e), (f), (g), (h), and (i); |
|
(3) Section 31.0221; |
|
(4) Section 31.0231; |
|
(5) Section 31.024; |
|
(6) Section 31.0241; |
|
(7) Section 31.0242; |
|
(8) Section 31.0261; |
|
(9) Section 31.035; |
|
(10) the heading to Subchapter B-2, Chapter 31; |
|
(11) Section 31.081; |
|
(12) Section 31.082; |
|
(13) Section 31.084; |
|
(14) Section 31.101; and |
|
(15) Section 31.151(e). |
|
SECTION 51. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
|
over another Act of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, |
|
relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted |
|
codes. |
|
SECTION 52. (a) A contract entered into under Section |
|
31.026 or 31.151, Education Code, as amended by this Act, before the |
|
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
|
date the contract was entered into, and the former law is continued |
|
in effect for that purpose. |
|
(b) A contract entered into under Section 31.026 or 31.151, |
|
Education Code, as amended by this Act, after the effective date of |
|
this Act for a program called for by the State Board of Education |
|
under Proclamation 2024 is governed by the law in effect on the date |
|
the proclamation was issued, and the former law is continued in |
|
effect for that purpose. |
|
(c) Section 31.026, Education Code, as amended by this Act, |
|
does not apply to the review of or a contract for the purchase or |
|
licensing of instructional materials required by the State Board of |
|
Education pursuant to Proclamation 2024. The review of and |
|
contracts for the purchase or licensing of instructional materials |
|
required by the State Board of Education pursuant to Proclamation |
|
2024 are governed by the law as it existed immediately before the |
|
effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in |
|
effect for that purpose. |
|
(d) Section 21.4045(b), Education Code, as added by this |
|
Act, applies only to a contract entered into on or after the |
|
effective date of this Act. A contract entered into before the |
|
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
|
date the contract was entered into, and the former law is continued |
|
in effect for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 53. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
|
this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school |
|
year. |
|
(b) Section 21.4045, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
|
applies beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. |
|
SECTION 54. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
|
this section, 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. |
|
(b) Sections 48.307 and 48.308, Education Code, as added by |
|
this Act, and Section 48.277(b), Education Code, as amended by this |
|
Act, take effect September 1, 2023. |