BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1219
By: Averitt, West
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The State Board of Education (SBOE) adopted the Office of the Attorney General's Parenting and Paternity Awareness (P.A.P.A.) curriculum after the passage of H.B. 2176 during the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. The P.A.P.A. curriculum adopted by SBOE contains the requirement for a health educator to teach 14 separate lesson plans that last approximately one hour each.
Because high school health classes are traditionally only one semester in length, rather than a full school year, implementing 14 lesson plans can be extremely difficult. This difficulty is increased for districts that participate in a block schedule school day. The current 14 lesson plan mandate makes it difficult for many high school health educators to spend adequate time on other extremely important topics during the semester. S.B. 1219 does not change the content that is required to be delivered, but provides flexibility regarding the method by which that content is taught.
S.B. 1219 amends Section 28.002(p), Education Code, to authorize a teacher, at the discretion of a school district, to modify the suggested sequence and pace of the P.A.P.A. program.
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 28.002(p), Education Code, to authorize a teacher, at the discretion of the district, to modify the suggested sequence and pace of the parenting and paternity awareness program.
SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.