HB604 - Relating to the scheduling of the first day of school for students by school districts.

  89R3840 RDR-D     By: Patterson H.B. No. 604       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the scheduling of the first day of school for students   by school districts.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 12A.003(b), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  A local innovation plan must:                (1)  provide for a comprehensive educational program   for the district, which [ program ] may include:                      (A)  innovative curriculum, instructional   methods, and provisions regarding community participation, campus   governance, and parental involvement;                      (B)   except as provided by Section 12A.004(a),   modifications to the school day or year;                      (C)  provisions regarding the district budget and   sustainable program funding;                      (D)  accountability and assessment measures that   exceed the requirements of state and federal law; and                      (E)  any other innovations prescribed by the board   of trustees; and                (2)  identify requirements imposed by this code that   inhibit the goals of the plan and from which the district should be   exempted on adoption of the plan, subject to Section 12A.004.          SECTION 2.  Section 12A.004(a), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  A local innovation plan may not provide for the   exemption of a district designated as a district of innovation from   the following provisions of this title:                (1)  a state or federal requirement applicable to an   open-enrollment charter school operating under Subchapter D,   Chapter 12;                (2)  Subchapters A, C, D, and E, Chapter 11, except that   a district may be exempt from Sections 11.1511(b)(5) and (14) and   Section 11.162;                (3)  state curriculum and graduation requirements   adopted under Chapter 28; [ and ]                (4)  academic and financial accountability and   sanctions under Chapters 39 and 39A ; and                 (5)     the first day of instruction requirements under   Section 25.0811 .          SECTION 3.  Section 25.0811(a), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by this section, a school district   may not begin instruction for students for a school year before the   first  [ fourth ] Monday in September [ August ]. A school district may:                (1)  begin instruction for students for a school year   before the first  [ fourth ] Monday in September  [ August ] if the   district operates a year-round system under Section 25.084; or                (2)  begin instruction for students for a school year   on or after the third  [ first ] Monday in August at a campus or at not   more than 20 percent of the campuses in the district if:                      (A)  the district has a student enrollment of   190,000 or more;                      (B)  the district at the beginning of the school   year provides, financed with local funds, days of instruction for   students at the campus or at each of the multiple campuses, in   addition to the minimum instructional time  [ number of days of   instruction ] required under Section 25.081;                      (C)  the campus or each of the multiple campuses   is [ are ] undergoing comprehensive reform, as determined by the   board of trustees of the district; and                      (D)  a majority of the students at the campus or at   each of the multiple campuses are educationally disadvantaged.          SECTION 4.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of   this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2026-2027 school   year.          (b)  Sections 12A.003 and 12A.004, Education Code, as   amended by this Act, apply only to a local innovation plan adopted   or renewed on or after the effective date of this Act.  A local   innovation plan adopted or renewed before the effective date of   this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the plan was   adopted or renewed, and the former law is continued in effect for   that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.