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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to courses to understand the United States and Texas |
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Constitutions for high school students in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.002(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Each school district that offers kindergarten through |
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grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum: |
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(1) a foundation curriculum that includes: |
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(A) English language arts; |
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(B) mathematics; |
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(C) science; and |
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(D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United |
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States, and world history, government, United States Constitution |
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and Texas Constitution, economics, with emphasis on the free |
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enterprise system and its benefits, and geography; and |
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(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes: |
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(A) to the extent possible, languages other than |
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English; |
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(B) health, with emphasis on: |
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(i) physical health, including the |
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importance of proper nutrition and exercise; |
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(ii) mental health, including instruction |
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about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage |
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emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and |
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responsible decision-making; and |
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(iii) suicide prevention, including |
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recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs; |
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(C) physical education; |
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(D) fine arts; |
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(E) career and technology education; |
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(F) technology applications; and |
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(G) religious literature, including the Hebrew |
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Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on |
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history and literature, and, |
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SECTION 2. Section 28.0021(b), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Each school district and each open-enrollment charter |
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school that offers a high school program shall provide a [an |
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elective] course in The United States Constitution and the Texas |
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Constitution that meets the requirements for a one-half social |
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studies [elective] credit under Section 28.025, using materials |
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approved by the State Board of Education. In fulfilling the |
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requirement to provide financial literacy instruction under this |
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section, a school district or open-enrollment charter school may |
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use an existing state, federal, private, or nonprofit program that |
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provides students without charge the instruction described under |
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this section. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 28.025(b-1) and (b-23), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The State Board of Education by rule shall require |
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that the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school |
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program under Subsection (a) include a requirement that students |
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successfully complete: |
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(1) four credits in English language arts under |
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Section 28.002(a)(1)(A), including one credit in English I, one |
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credit in English II, one credit in English III, and one credit in |
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an advanced English course authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(2) three credits in mathematics under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(B), including one credit in Algebra I, one credit in |
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geometry, and one credit in any advanced mathematics course |
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authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(3) three credits in science under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(C), including one credit in biology, one credit in any |
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advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2), and one |
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credit in integrated physics and chemistry or in an additional |
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advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(4) three credits in social studies under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at |
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least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in |
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[economics or] The United States Constitution and the Texas |
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Constitution [& economics], and one credit in economics, world |
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geography, or world history; |
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(5) except as provided under Subsections (b-12), |
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(b-13), and (b-14), two credits in the same language in a language |
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other than English under Section 28.002(a)(2)(A); |
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(6) five elective credits; |
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(7) one credit in fine arts under Section |
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28.002(a)(2)(D); and |
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(8) except as provided by Subsection (b-11), one |
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credit in physical education under Section 28.002(a)(2)(C). |
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(b-23) The agency shall: |
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(1) develop a list of free, open-source, and publicly |
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available curricula that may be used by a school district to provide |
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a United States Constitution and Texas Constitution [& economics] |
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course that satisfies the curriculum requirement under Subsection |
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(b-1)(4); and |
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(2) seek, accept, and spend any federal or private |
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grant funds and gifts that are available for the purpose of |
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providing a United States Constitution and Texas Constitution [& |
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economics] course as part of the foundation high school program. |
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SECTION 4. Section 28.025(b-22), Education Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 28.0021(b) and 28.025(b-1), Education |
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Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to students entering the |
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ninth grade during the 2025-2026 school year or a later school year. |
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For students entering a grade above ninth grade during the |
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2025-2026 school year, Sections 28.0021(b) and 28.025(b-1), |
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Education Code, as those sections existed before amendment by this |
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Act, apply, and those sections are continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 7. 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. |