89R19470 TYPED
 
  By: Hagenbuch S.B. No. 2802
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to courses to understand the United States and Texas
  Constitutions for high school students in public schools.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 28.002(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Each school district that offers kindergarten through
  grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:
               (1)  a foundation curriculum that includes:
                     (A)  English language arts;
                     (B)  mathematics;
                     (C)  science; and
                     (D)  social studies, consisting of Texas, United
  States, and world history, government, United States Constitution
  and Texas Constitution, economics, with emphasis on the free
  enterprise system and its benefits, and geography; and
               (2)  an enrichment curriculum that includes:
                     (A)  to the extent possible, languages other than
  English;
                     (B)  health, with emphasis on:
                           (i)  physical health, including the
  importance of proper nutrition and exercise;
                           (ii)  mental health, including instruction
  about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage
  emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and
  responsible decision-making; and
                           (iii)  suicide prevention, including
  recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;
                     (C)  physical education;
                     (D)  fine arts;
                     (E)  career and technology education;
                     (F)  technology applications; and
                     (G)  religious literature, including the Hebrew
  Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on
  history and literature, and,
         SECTION 2.  Section 28.0021(b), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  Each school district and each open-enrollment charter
  school that offers a high school program shall provide a [an
  elective] course in The United States Constitution and the Texas
  Constitution that meets the requirements for a one-half social
  studies [elective] credit under Section 28.025, using materials
  approved by the State Board of Education.  In fulfilling the
  requirement to provide financial literacy instruction under this
  section, a school district or open-enrollment charter school may
  use an existing state, federal, private, or nonprofit program that
  provides students without charge the instruction described under
  this section.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 28.025(b-1) and (b-23), Education Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (b-1)  The State Board of Education by rule shall require
  that the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school
  program under Subsection (a) include a requirement that students
  successfully complete:
               (1)  four credits in English language arts under
  Section 28.002(a)(1)(A), including one credit in English I, one
  credit in English II, one credit in English III, and one credit in
  an advanced English course authorized under Subsection (b-2);
               (2)  three credits in mathematics under Section
  28.002(a)(1)(B), including one credit in Algebra I, one credit in
  geometry, and one credit in any advanced mathematics course
  authorized under Subsection (b-2);
               (3)  three credits in science under Section
  28.002(a)(1)(C), including one credit in biology, one credit in any
  advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2), and one
  credit in integrated physics and chemistry or in an additional
  advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2);
               (4)  three credits in social studies under Section
  28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at
  least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in
  [economics or] The United States Constitution and the Texas
  Constitution [& economics], and one credit in economics, world
  geography, or world history;
               (5)  except as provided under Subsections (b-12),
  (b-13), and (b-14), two credits in the same language in a language
  other than English under Section 28.002(a)(2)(A);
               (6)  five elective credits;
               (7)  one credit in fine arts under Section
  28.002(a)(2)(D); and
               (8)  except as provided by Subsection (b-11), one
  credit in physical education under Section 28.002(a)(2)(C).
         (b-23)  The agency shall:
               (1)  develop a list of free, open-source, and publicly
  available curricula that may be used by a school district to provide
  a United States Constitution and Texas Constitution [& economics]
  course that satisfies the curriculum requirement under Subsection
  (b-1)(4); and
               (2)  seek, accept, and spend any federal or private
  grant funds and gifts that are available for the purpose of
  providing a United States Constitution and Texas Constitution [&
  economics] course as part of the foundation high school program.
         SECTION 4.  Section 28.025(b-22), Education Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 5.  Sections 28.0021(b) and 28.025(b-1), Education
  Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to students entering the
  ninth grade during the 2025-2026 school year or a later school year.
  For students entering a grade above ninth grade during the
  2025-2026 school year, Sections 28.0021(b) and 28.025(b-1),
  Education Code, as those sections existed before amendment by this
  Act, apply, and those sections are continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
  school year.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2025.