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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the inclusion of American principles in the public |
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school curriculum and instructional materials. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (h-1) to read as follows: |
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(h-1) To accomplish the primary purpose stated in |
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Subsection (h), the State Board of Education and each school |
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district shall ensure that: |
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(1) the public school curriculum emphasizes: |
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(A) the importance of patriotism, American |
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exceptionalism, United States citizenship, basic democratic |
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values, character development, the moral fabric of American civil |
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society, and an appreciation for the free enterprise system; and |
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(B) an understanding of the principles |
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underlying the United States form of government, including the |
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study of the Founding Fathers of the United States, the Declaration |
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of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Bill of |
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Rights, and the Federalist Papers; |
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(2) each historical event addressed in the public |
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school curriculum meets a reasonable standard of historical |
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significance, in relation to the limited amount of available |
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instructional time; |
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(3) any issue included in the public school curriculum |
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that is considered controversial is presented in a balanced manner |
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that includes multiple viewpoints regarding the issue; |
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(4) the public school curriculum includes the |
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Celebrate Freedom Week program developed under Section 29.907; and |
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(5) any curriculum generated, purchased, or otherwise |
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obtained by a district, including dual credit, advanced placement, |
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and international baccalaureate social studies courses, is in |
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compliance with the appropriate essential knowledge and skills |
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requirements adopted under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 31.023(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) For each subject and grade level, the State Board of |
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Education shall adopt a list of instructional materials. The list |
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includes each instructional material submitted for the subject and |
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grade level that meets applicable physical specifications adopted |
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by the State Board of Education, that [and] contains material that |
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is consistent with the purpose and guidelines of Sections 28.002(h) |
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and (h-1), and that covers [covering] at least half of the elements |
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of the essential knowledge and skills of the subject and grade level |
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in the student version of the instructional material, as well as in |
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the teacher version of the instructional material, as determined by |
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the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 and adopted under |
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Section 31.024. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), this |
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Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. |
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(b) The changes in law made by this Act to Section |
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31.023(a), Education Code, apply to instructional materials |
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adopted by the State Board of Education on or after September 1, |
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2018. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |