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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the instructional material list and supplemental |
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instructional materials and the inclusion of American principles in |
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those materials and the public school curriculum. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (h-1) to read as follows: |
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(h-1) To accomplish the primary purpose stated in |
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Subsection (h), the State Board of Education and each school |
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district shall ensure that: |
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(1) the public school curriculum emphasizes an |
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understanding of the principles underlying the United States form |
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of government, including the study of the Founding Fathers of the |
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United States, the Declaration of Independence, the United States |
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Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Federalist Papers; and |
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(2) each historical event addressed in the public |
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school curriculum meets a reasonable standard of historical |
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significance, in relation to the limited amount of available |
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instructional time. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 31.023(a) and (b), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) For each subject and grade level, the State Board of |
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Education shall adopt a list of instructional materials. The list |
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includes each instructional material submitted for the subject and |
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grade level that meets applicable physical specifications adopted |
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by the State Board of Education, that [and] contains material that |
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is consistent with the purpose and guidelines of Sections 28.002(h) |
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and (h-1), and that covers [covering] at least half of the elements |
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of the essential knowledge and skills of the subject and grade level |
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in the student version of the instructional material, as well as in |
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the teacher version of the instructional material, as determined by |
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the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 and adopted under |
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Section 31.024. |
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(b) Each instructional material on the list must be: |
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(1) free from factual errors; |
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(2) suitable for the subject and grade level for which |
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the instructional material was submitted; and |
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(3) reviewed by academic experts in the subject and |
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grade level for which the instructional material was submitted. |
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SECTION 3. Section 31.035(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, |
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the State Board of Education may adopt supplemental instructional |
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materials that are not on the list adopted under Section 31.023. |
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The State Board of Education may adopt supplemental instructional |
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material under this section only if the instructional material: |
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(1) contains material covering one or more primary |
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focal points or primary topics of a subject in the required |
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curriculum under Section 28.002, as determined by the State Board |
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of Education; |
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(2) is not designed to serve as the sole instructional |
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material for a full course; |
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(3) meets applicable physical specifications adopted |
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by the State Board of Education; [and] |
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(4) is free from factual errors; |
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(5) is suitable for the subject and grade level; and |
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(6) is reviewed by academic experts in the subject and |
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grade level. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and |
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(c) of this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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school year. |
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(b) The changes in law made by this Act to Section |
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31.023(a), Education Code, apply to instructional materials |
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adopted by the State Board of Education on or after September 1, |
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2018. |
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(c) Sections 31.023(b) and 31.035(a), Education Code, as |
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amended by this Act, apply only to an instructional material list or |
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supplemental instructional material adopted on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. An instructional material list or |
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supplemental instructional material adopted before the effective |
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date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the |
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instructional material list or supplemental instructional material |
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was adopted, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2017. |
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