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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to Holocaust education and training provided to students |
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enrolled at public schools and public institutions of higher |
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education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 8, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 8.065 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 8.065. COLLABORATION WITH HOLOCAUST MUSEUMS. Each |
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regional education service center shall on a regular basis |
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collaborate with one or more of the Holocaust museums in this state |
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to expand educator training and classroom education opportunities |
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regarding Holocaust education. |
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SECTION 2. Section 29.9072, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) In this section, "Holocaust" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 448.001 [449.001], Government Code. |
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(d) Not later than June 1 of each school year, each school |
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district and open-enrollment charter school shall submit to the |
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agency a report regarding the Holocaust Remembrance Week |
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instruction offered by the district or school for that school year |
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under this section. The report must include the activities, |
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lessons, and instructional materials used for the instruction. |
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(e) As soon as practicable after June 1 of each school year, |
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the agency shall compile all reports submitted under Subsection (d) |
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for the school year and submit the compiled information to each |
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regional education service center and the Texas Holocaust, |
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Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.90721 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.90721. HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE WEEK GRANT PROGRAM. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Advisory commission" means the Texas Holocaust, |
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Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission. |
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(2) "Commission" means the Texas Historical |
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Commission. |
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(3) "Holocaust" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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448.001, Government Code. |
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(b) From money appropriated for purposes of this section, |
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the commission, in coordination with the advisory commission, shall |
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establish and administer a grant program to provide grants to |
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school districts and museums, centers, and other relevant |
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organizations in this state to assist in the implementation of |
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Holocaust Remembrance Week instruction under Section 29.9072. The |
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commission may award a grant for purposes of: |
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(1) developing optional, age-appropriate lesson plans |
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for classroom teachers who lack relevant subject matter expertise |
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regarding the Holocaust; |
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(2) sponsoring student field trips to the Holocaust |
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museums in this state, with priority given to campuses in urban and |
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rural districts; |
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(3) providing training approved by the advisory |
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committee for educators and for administrators who manage |
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professional development and teacher training in each district; |
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(4) cataloging and expanding relevant audiovisual and |
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digital classroom resources, including resources maintained by |
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Holocaust museums in this state; and |
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(5) developing, in collaboration with museums, |
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bilingual curricula to meet the needs of more students in this state |
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and making the curricula available on the advisory commission's |
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Internet website. |
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(c) The commission, in coordination with the advisory |
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commission, shall adopt rules as necessary to establish and |
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administer the grant program under this section. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0767 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0767. EDUCATOR PREPARATION PILOT PROGRAM TO IMPROVE |
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DELIVERY OF HOLOCAUST EDUCATION. (a) The board shall establish a |
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pilot program at institutions of higher education selected by the |
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board to train students enrolled in an educator preparation program |
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to provide more effective instruction related to the history and |
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remembrance of the Holocaust. The board may adopt rules as |
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necessary to administer this section. |
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(b) An institution of higher education selected under this |
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section must have an educator preparation program approved by the |
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State Board for Educator Certification or be affiliated with a |
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program approved by the State Board for Educator Certification. |
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(c) At least 50 percent of the institutions of higher |
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education selected by the board must be located in an area or likely |
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to graduate educators who will teach in a public school in an area |
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where the applicable school district has demonstrated low |
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participation in Holocaust Remembrance Week instruction. |
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(d) The board shall collaborate with the Texas Holocaust, |
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Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission to establish |
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minimum curriculum requirements, guidelines, and procedures |
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necessary for the implementation of the pilot program. |
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(e) The board shall use any funds appropriated or otherwise |
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made available for purposes of the pilot program and may accept |
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gifts, grants, and donations to fund the pilot program. |
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(f) The pilot program shall operate for four full academic |
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years. |
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(g) An institution of higher education selected for the |
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pilot program shall annually report to the board in the manner |
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prescribed by the board data and information regarding the |
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operation of the pilot program. |
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(h) The report required by Subsection (g) must contain, with |
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respect to the preceding academic year: |
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(1) a description of the manner in which the selected |
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institution complied with the purpose of the pilot program and any |
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difficulties encountered in complying with that purpose, including |
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timelines related to implementing the pilot program; |
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(2) data regarding the institution's students |
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receiving instruction under the pilot program through an educator |
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preparation program; |
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(3) information regarding any third-party entities or |
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organizations the institution collaborates with to deliver |
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instruction under the pilot program through an educator preparation |
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program; and |
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(4) a survey of educator preparation program students |
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and faculty who participated in the pilot program at the |
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institution, including feedback regarding the results of the pilot |
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program and information regarding the marketability and subsequent |
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teaching careers of participating students. |
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(i) The board shall compile a biennial report based on the |
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data and information received under Subsection (g) regarding the |
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operation of the pilot program and the results of the survey of |
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educator preparation program students and faculty who participated |
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in the pilot program at each of the selected institutions during the |
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preceding biennium. Not later than September 1 of each |
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odd-numbered year, the board shall deliver a copy of the report to |
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the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and the chair of each standing committee of the |
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legislature having primary jurisdiction over higher education. |
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(j) The biennial report produced by the board before |
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September 1, 2029, must include a recommendation regarding whether |
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the pilot program should be continued, expanded, or terminated. |
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(k) Before September 1, 2031, the board shall conduct a |
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final survey of educator preparation program students and faculty |
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who participated in the pilot program at the selected institutions |
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at any time during the operation of the program, including feedback |
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regarding the results of the pilot program and information |
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regarding the marketability and teaching careers of participating |
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students. The board shall publish the results of the survey on its |
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Internet website. |
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(l) The pilot program concludes and this section expires |
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December 1, 2031. |
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SECTION 5. Section 29.9072, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. |
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SECTION 6. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Historical Commission, in coordination with |
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the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory |
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Commission, shall establish the grant program required by Section |
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29.90721, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 7. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall select public institutions of higher education for the pilot |
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program required under Section 61.0767, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, not later than May 1, 2026. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |