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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to training requirements for public school board of |
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trustees members and superintendents regarding the adoption of a |
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trauma-informed school standard. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 11, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 11.004 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 11.004. TRAINING FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND |
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SUPERINTENDENTS REGARDING TRAUMA-INFORMED SCHOOL STANDARD. (a) |
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Each member of the board of trustees and the superintendent of a |
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school district must complete an agency-approved course of |
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instruction regarding the adoption and administration of a |
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trauma-informed school standard. A course required under this |
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section must be completed: |
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(1) by a school board member, on election or |
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reelection; or |
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(2) by a superintendent, every four years. |
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(b) A course of instruction described by Subsection (a) must |
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provide information, relevant to and within the scope of the duties |
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of a school board member or superintendent, regarding: |
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(1) recognition of and care for trauma in students and |
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educators; |
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(2) the relationship between educator wellness and |
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student learning; |
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(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and |
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learning; |
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(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including |
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the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk |
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of experiencing trauma; |
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(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on |
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recognizing trauma among various racial or ethnic groups of |
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students; and |
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(6) effective district and campus policies and |
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practices shown to: |
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(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of |
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trauma on student behavior and learning; and |
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(B) support the emotional wellness of educators. |
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(c) A school district shall submit for agency approval any |
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course of instruction identified by the district as satisfying the |
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requirements of Subsection (b). |
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(d) The agency may approve both in-person and online courses |
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of instruction to satisfy the requirements of this section, |
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including courses provided by community-based nonprofit |
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organizations with expertise concerning trauma-informed school |
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standards. |
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(e) The State Board of Education shall propose rules that |
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allow: |
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(1) a school board member to satisfy the training |
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requirements under Section 11.159 for completion of the training |
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required under this section; and |
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(2) a superintendent to receive credit toward the |
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superintendent's continuing education requirements under Section |
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21.054 for completion of the training required under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall approve one or more courses of instruction |
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to satisfy the training requirements of Section 11.004, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2025. |