SB2822 - Relating to the election of the board of trustees of certain school districts and the powers and duties of the board of trustees of school districts.

  2025S0229-1 03/12/25     By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2822     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the election of the board of trustees of certain school   districts and the powers and duties of the board of trustees of   school districts.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 11.052, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as   follows:           (b-1)     Subsections (a) and (c) do not apply in the case of an   order adopted under this subsection.     The board of trustees of an   independent school district with the largest student enrollment in   a county with a population of 3.3 million or more shall order that   trustees of the district are to be elected as follows:                 (1)     four trustees elected from the district at large;   and                 (2)     five trustees elected from single-member trustee   districts.          (d)  An order of the board adopted under Subsection (a) , [ or ]   (b) , or (b-1) must be entered not later than the 120th day before   the date of the first election at which all or some of the trustees   are elected from single-member trustee districts authorized by the   order.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 11, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 11.0582 to read as follows:           Sec.   11.0582.     RESIGNATION FOR CANDIDACY OF ANOTHER   OFFICE.     (a)     The board of trustees of an independent school   district may by a two-thirds vote adopt a resolution requiring a   member of the board of trustees to resign from the board before   running for another elected office.     The board of trustees shall   adopt procedures for implementing this section.           (b)     A board of trustees that adopts a requirement under this   section may by a two-thirds vote eliminate the requirement.          SECTION 3.  Section 11.162(c), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (c)  A parent or guardian of a student assigned to attend a   school at which students are required to wear school uniforms may   choose for the student to be exempted from the requirement or to   transfer to a school at which students are not required to wear   uniforms and at which space is available if the parent or guardian   provides a written statement that, as determined by the board of   trustees or the board's designee , states a bona fide religious or   philosophical objection to the requirement.          SECTION 4.  Section 28.0214, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 28.0214.  FINALITY OF GRADE.  (a)  An examination or   course grade issued by a classroom teacher is final and may not be   changed unless the grade is arbitrary, erroneous, or not consistent   with the school district grading policy applicable to the grade, as   determined by the board of trustees or the board's designee of the   school district in which the teacher is employed.          (b)  A determination by a school district board of trustees   or the board's designee under Subsection (a) is not subject to   appeal.  This subsection does not prohibit an appeal related to a   student's eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities   under Section 33.081.          SECTION 5.  Sections 28.023(a), (b), (c), (c-1), (d), and   (h), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  Using guidelines established by the State Board of   Education, a school district shall develop or select for review by   the district board of trustees or the board's designee examinations   for acceleration for each primary school grade level and for credit   for secondary school academic subjects.  The guidelines must   provide for the examinations to thoroughly test comprehension of   the information presented in the applicable grade level or   subject.  The board of trustees or the board's designee shall   approve for each subject, to the extent available, at least four   examinations that satisfy State Board of Education   guidelines.  The examinations approved by the board of trustees or   the board's designee must include:                (1)  advanced placement examinations developed by the   College Board; and                (2)  examinations administered through the   College-Level Examination Program.          (b)  A school district shall give a student in a primary   grade level credit for a grade level and advance the student one   grade level on the basis of an examination for acceleration   approved by the board of trustees or the board's designee under   Subsection (a) if:                (1)  the student scores in the 80th percentile or above   on each section of the examination;                (2)  a district representative recommends that the   student be advanced; and                (3)  the student's parent or guardian gives written   approval of the advancement.          (c)  A school district shall give a student in grade level   six or above credit for a subject on the basis of an examination for   credit in the subject approved by the board of trustees or the   board's designee under Subsection (a) if the student scores in the   80th percentile or above on the examination or if the student   achieves a score as provided by Subsection (c-1).  If a student is   given credit in a subject on the basis of an examination, the   district shall enter the examination score on the student's   transcript and the student is not required to take an end-of-course   assessment instrument adopted under Section 39.023(c) for that   subject.          (c-1)  A school district shall give a student in grade level   six or above credit for a subject if the student scores:                (1)  a three or higher on an advanced placement   examination approved by the board of trustees or the board's   designee under Subsection (a) and developed by the College Board;   or                (2)  a scaled score of 50 or higher on an examination   approved by the board of trustees or the board's designee under   Subsection (a) and administered through the College-Level   Examination Program.          (d)  Each district shall administer each examination   approved by the board of trustees or the board's designee under   Subsection (a) not fewer than four times each year, at times to be   determined by the State Board of Education.          (h)  This subsection applies only to a school district   surrounded by a school district described by Section   11.065(a).  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a   school district's board of trustees or the board's designee may   establish a minimum required score for each section of an   examination for acceleration or an examination for credit approved   by the board or the board's designee under Subsection (a) that is   higher than the minimum required scores under Subsections (b) and   (c), respectively.  A minimum required score established by a board   of trustees or the board's designee under this subsection:                (1)  may be no greater than a score in the 90th   percentile;                (2)  must be established before the beginning of a   school year for examinations to be administered in the school year;   and                (3)  must apply for at least the entire school year.          SECTION 6.  Sections 29.089(c) and (d), Education Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (c)  The [ board of trustees of the ] district shall obtain the   consent of a student's parent or guardian before allowing the   student to participate in the program.          (d)  The [ board of trustees of the ] district may arrange for   any public or nonprofit community-based organization to come to the   district's schools and implement the program.          SECTION 7.  Section 29.183, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 29.183.  CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL   PROGRAMS.  (a)   A [ The board of trustees of a ] school district may   conduct and supervise career and technology classes and other   educational programs for students and for other persons of all ages   and spend local maintenance funds for the cost of those classes and   programs.          (b)  In developing a career and technology program, the   district [ board of trustees ] shall consider the state plan for   career and technology education required under Section 29.182.          SECTION 8.  Section 54.363(f), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (f)  The board of trustees or the board's designee of a   school district shall establish a plan to encourage the hiring of   educational aides who show a willingness to become certified   teachers.          SECTION 9.  The board of trustees of a school district to   which Section 11.052(b-1), Education Code, as added by this Act,   applies shall adopt an order as required by that subsection not   later than December 31, 2025.          SECTION 10.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.