November 2025 Committee on School Initiatives Item 4
Public Hearing on the Curriculum and Materials for Parental Rights Training for School District Trustees
November 20, 2025
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: A public hearing before the Committee on School Initiatives is scheduled for Thursday, November 20, 2025, in the Barbara Jordan Building, Room 2.013. Testimony will be presented in compliance with a requirement for school board trustees to complete training on the rights of a parent regarding the education of the parent's child. In accordance with SBOE operating procedures, oral testimony will be limited to two minutes per person.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159(b-2), as added by Senate Bill (SB) 204, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025.
TEC, §11.159(b-2) requires the SBOE to require a trustee to complete training on the rights of a parent regarding the education of the parent’s child. The SBOE, with assistance from the agency, must develop the curriculum and materials for the training.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the link above.
FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: Following the development of the training curriculum and materials, the board will approve the training curriculum and materials at a future meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: This item is for the SBOE to receive public testimony on the curriculum and materials content of the parental rights training for school district trustees. In order to meet the April 1, 2026 statutory deadline, the training curriculum and materials will be submitted to the SBOE for review and final approval at a future meeting.
The SBOE has adopted continuing education requirements for school board members in 19 TAC Chapter 61, Subchapter A. A proposed amendment to 19 TAC §61.1 to add the parental rights training requirement will be presented to the board for consideration at a future meeting.
Staff Members Responsible:
Marian Schutte, Associate Commissioner, Authorizing and Policy
Christopher Lucas, Director, Research and Policy, Governance
Steve Lecholop, Deputy Commissioner, Governance