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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to civics instruction in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 21.4555 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.4555. CIVICS ACADEMIES. (a) The commissioner |
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shall develop and make available civics academies for teachers and |
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administrators. |
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(b) The commissioner shall determine to what grade levels |
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the civics academies apply. In making that determination, the |
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commissioner shall include grade levels for which the State Board |
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of Education makes significant revisions to the Texas essential |
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knowledge and skills under Section 28.0025. |
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(c) A civics academy developed under this section must |
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include training in at least: |
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(1) citizenship or civics and related social studies |
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knowledge and skills as adopted by the State Board of Education; |
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(2) guided classroom discussion of current events, as |
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appropriate for the grade level; |
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(3) simulations and models of governmental and |
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democratic processes; |
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(4) media literacy, including instruction in |
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verification of information and sources and the identification of |
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propaganda, as appropriate for the grade level; and |
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(5) strategies for incorporating civics instruction |
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into other subject areas. |
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(d) From funds appropriated for that purpose, a teacher who |
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attends a civics academy may receive a stipend in the amount |
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determined by the commissioner. A stipend received under this |
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subsection is not considered in determining whether a district is |
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paying the teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402. |
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(e) On request of the commissioner, regional education |
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service centers shall assist the commissioner and agency with |
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training and other activities relating to the development and |
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operation of civics academies. The commissioner may seek |
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additional assistance from other public and private providers. |
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(f) The commissioner is required to implement this section |
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only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that |
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purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money |
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specifically for that purpose, the commissioner may, but is not |
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required to, implement this section using other appropriations |
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available for that purpose. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 28.0025 and 28.0201 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.0025. CIVICS CURRICULUM UPDATE. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Civic attitudes" means appreciating the |
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importance and responsibility of participation in civic life; |
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gaining values such as commitment to the United States' system of |
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government and appreciation for free speech and civil discourse; |
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and developing civic self-efficiency and understanding of |
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perspectives that differ from one's own. |
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(2) "Civic behaviors" means practicing civic habits, |
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including voting, engaging in deliberative discussions, |
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volunteering, attending public meetings, and other civic |
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activities. |
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(3) "Civic knowledge" means an understanding of the |
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history and heritage of civic life; the structure, functions, and |
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processes of civic institutions at all levels; founding-era |
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documents; geography and economics that affect public policy; and |
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the role of the citizen. |
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(4) "Civic skills" means the abilities necessary to |
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participate as an active and responsible citizen in a republic; |
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effectively engage in the civic life and civic institutions of |
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one's community, state, and nation; analyze text and determine the |
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reliability of sources; formulate and articulate reasoned |
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positions; and actively listen and engage in civil discourse. |
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(b) To ensure the students of Texas possess sufficient |
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knowledge of history to effectively engage in the civil discourse |
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of the republic and fulfill the requirements of Section 28.002(h), |
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the State Board of Education shall: |
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(1) for kindergarten through grade six, revise the |
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essential knowledge and skills for social studies to address |
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essential civic education, including civic knowledge, civic |
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skills, civic attitudes, and civic behaviors, and ensure sufficient |
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knowledge of history necessary to ensure proper context for the |
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understanding of civic knowledge, civic skills, civic attitudes, |
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and civic behaviors; and |
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(2) for grade seven through grade twelve, streamline |
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the essential knowledge and skills for social studies to enhance |
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civic knowledge, civic skills, civic attitudes, and civic |
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behaviors. |
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(c) The commissioner shall review prekindergarten |
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guidelines and incorporate revisions, if necessary, based on the |
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revisions to the essential knowledge and skills under this section. |
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(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt a recommended |
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reading list for kindergarten through grade twelve of |
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civics-focused texts that address the content of the social studies |
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essential knowledge and skills for each grade that can be used in |
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conjunction with teaching the English and Spanish language arts and |
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reading standards. The texts should, at a minimum: |
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(1) build background knowledge and vocabulary in |
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elementary grades; and |
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(2) provide a rich study in rhetoric, reasoning, and |
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argumentation in secondary grades. |
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(e) The agency shall make the reading list in Subsection (d) |
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available to every public school in the state. |
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(f) The commissioner shall review current research and |
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resources and provide proposed revisions to the applicable |
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essential knowledge and skills and a preliminary reading list as a |
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starting point for the State Board of Education's use in executing |
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its duties under Subsections (b) and (d). |
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(g) The State Board of Education shall adopt revisions under |
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this section on a timeline that allows the development of academies |
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under Section 21.4555 and compliance by public schools with Section |
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28.0201 by the timeline established in that section. |
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Sec. 28.0201. CIVICS INSTRUCTION. (a) Each school |
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district and open-enrollment charter school shall: |
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(1) integrate civics materials into its curriculum in |
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non-social studies courses, as appropriate; and |
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(2) ensure that each campus with grade levels |
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identified by the commissioner in Section 21.4555(b) has at least |
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one teacher and either a principal or a campus instructional leader |
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who has attended a civics academy developed under Section 21.4555. |
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(b) The agency shall provide assistance to school districts |
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and open-enrollment charter schools in complying with the |
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requirements under this section. |
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(c) Subsection (a) does not apply until school year |
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2024-2025. This subsection expires September 1, 2027. |
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(d) The commissioner may delay implementation of Subsection |
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(a) to a school year no later than school year 2026-2027, if the |
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revision of curriculum under Section 28.0025 or the availability of |
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civics academies does not occur at a pace that reasonably affords |
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public schools the ability to comply with Subsection (a). This |
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subsection expires September 1, 2027. |
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(e) Notwithstanding Subsections (c) and (d), the |
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commissioner may delay implementation of the requirement of |
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Subsection (a)(2) if, in accordance with Section 21.4555(f), civics |
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academies have not been developed or sufficiently developed to |
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allow school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to |
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comply with that requirement. |
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(f) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-9) to read as follows: |
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(c-9) An assessment instrument developed under Subsection |
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(a) or (c) may include excerpts from texts included on the |
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recommended reading list adopted under Section 28.0025(d). |
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SECTION 4. The Texas Education Agency is required to |
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implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature |
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appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the |
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legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the agency may, but is not required to, implement a |
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provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2021. |