By: Parker, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Taylor) H.B. No. 3489
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 2021;
  May 13, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Education; May 19, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 19, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to development of guidelines for the use of digital
  devices in public schools and a school district or open-enrollment
  charter school policy for the effective integration of those
  devices.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 38.0231 to read as follows:
         Sec. 38.0231.  GUIDELINES FOR USE OF DIGITAL DEVICES. (a)
  The agency, in consultation with the Health and Human Services
  Commission, shall develop and distribute model health and safety
  guidelines that school districts and open-enrollment charter
  schools may use to determine best practices for the effective
  integration of digital devices in public schools.  The guidelines
  must:
               (1)  be based on evidence-based studies and practices;
               (2)  consider the needs of students with intellectual
  or physical disabilities;
               (3)  consider the potential costs of implementation of
  the guidelines and affordable ways to reduce the hazards associated
  with the extended use of digital devices; and
               (4)  address:
                     (A)  digital device use for varying age ranges and
  developmental levels;
                     (B)  the amount of time a student spends using
  digital devices in the classroom;
                     (C)  appropriate frequency for breaks from the use
  of digital devices;
                     (D)  physical positioning of digital devices in
  the classroom;
                     (E)  the use of digital devices to complete
  homework assignments;
                     (F)  recommended total daily screen time usage for
  students;
                     (G)  recommended practices or software to block
  access to inappropriate content; and
                     (H)  recommended teacher training regarding
  digital device use in the classroom to ensure implementation of the
  best practices.
         (b)  The school board of each school district or the
  governing body of each open-enrollment charter school shall adopt a
  policy for the effective integration of digital devices in the
  district or school.  In adopting the policy, the school board or the
  governing body may decide whether to adopt the guidelines developed
  under Subsection (a) for use in the district or school.
         (c)  Each school district or open-enrollment charter school
  that adopts the guidelines developed under Subsection (a) may
  implement the guidelines in a manner that best meets the district's
  or charter school's individual needs and the individual needs of
  students in the district or school, including students with
  intellectual or physical disabilities.
         (d)  If a school district or open-enrollment charter school
  adopts the guidelines developed under Subsection (a), the district
  or charter school shall post the guidelines publicly on the
  district's or charter school's Internet website.
         SECTION 2.  The Texas Education Agency shall develop and
  distribute the guidelines for the use of digital devices required
  under Section 38.0231, Education Code, as added by this Act, for use
  beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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