January 2026 Committee on School Initiatives Item 6
Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.4, Parental Rights Training for School Board Members
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
January 30, 2026
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed new 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.4, Parental Rights Training for School Board Members. The proposed new rule would reflect changes made by Senate Bill (SB) 204, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, to the State Board of Education's (SBOE's) duty to provide training courses for independent school district trustees.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159(b-2), as added by SB 204, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025.
TEC, §11.159(b-2), as added by SB 204, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, obligates the SBOE to require trustees to complete training on parental rights. The statute also requires the SBOE, with assistance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), to develop the curriculum and materials for the training by April 1, 2026.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the link above.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The proposed effective date of the proposed new section is 20 days after filing as adopted with the Texas Register. Under TEC, §7.102(f), the SBOE must approve the rule action at second reading and final adoption by a vote of two-thirds of its members to specify an effective date earlier than the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year. The earlier effective date will ensure that trustees are aware of the training requirements prior to the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: A discussion item regarding the parental rights training and a new rule related to the parental rights training was presented to the Committee on School Initiatives at its November 2025 meeting. At that same meeting, the committee held a public hearing regarding the training curriculum.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: TEC, §11.159, Member Training and Orientation, requires the SBOE to provide a training course for school board trustees. Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, most recently amended effective August 25, 2025, addresses this statutory requirement. School board trustee training under current SBOE rule includes a local school district orientation session; a basic orientation to the TEC; an annual team-building session with the local school board and the superintendent; additional hours of continuing education based on identified needs; training on evaluating student academic performance; training on identifying and reporting potential victims of sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other maltreatment of children; and training on school safety.
In November 2025, the committee discussed both an outline of the parental rights training curriculum and the new rule regarding the training. The committee also held a public hearing regarding the training curriculum.
The proposed new rule would establish the purpose of the training, specify the timeline and number of hours required for training based on a board member's length of service, and require that school districts maintain verification of training completion for each school board member.
FISCAL IMPACT: TEA has determined that there are no additional costs to state or local government, including school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, required to comply with the proposal.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT IMPACT: The proposal has no effect on local economy; therefore, no local employment impact statement is required under Texas Government Code, §2001.022.
SMALL BUSINESS, MICROBUSINESS, AND RURAL COMMUNITY IMPACT: The proposal has no direct adverse economic impact for small businesses, microbusinesses, or rural communities; therefore, no regulatory flexibility analysis specified in Texas Government Code, §2006.002, is required.
COST INCREASE TO REGULATED PERSONS: The proposal does not impose a cost on regulated persons, another state agency, a special district, or a local government and, therefore, is not subject to Texas Government Code, §2001.0045.
TAKINGS IMPACT ASSESSMENT: The proposal does not impose a burden on private real property and, therefore, does not constitute a taking under Texas Government Code, §2007.043.
GOVERNMENT GROWTH IMPACT: TEA staff prepared a Government Growth Impact Statement assessment for this proposed rulemaking. During the first five years the proposed rulemaking would be in effect, it would create a new regulation to add training on parental rights to the existing required trustee training.
The proposed rulemaking would not create or eliminate a government program; would not require the creation of new employee positions or elimination of existing employee positions; would not require an increase or decrease in future legislative appropriations to the agency; would not require an increase or decrease in fees paid to the agency; would not expand, limit, or repeal an existing regulation; would not increase or decrease the number of individuals subject to its applicability; and would not positively or adversely affect the state's economy.
PUBLIC BENEFIT AND COST TO PERSONS: The proposal would describe the requirements for a new parental rights training for school district trustees established by TEC, §11.159(b-2), as added by SB 204, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposal.
DATA AND REPORTING IMPACT: The proposal would have no data and reporting impact.
PRINCIPAL AND CLASSROOM TEACHER PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: TEA has determined that the proposal would not require a written report or other paperwork to be completed by a principal or classroom teacher.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: The public comment period on the proposal begins February 27, 2026, and ends at 5:00 p.m. on March 30, 2026. The SBOE will take registered oral and written comments on the proposal at the appropriate committee meeting in April 2026 in accordance with the SBOE board operating policies and procedures. A request for a public hearing on the proposal submitted under the Administrative Procedure Act must be received by the commissioner of education not more than 14 calendar days after notice of the proposal has been published in the Texas Register on February 27, 2026.
MOTION TO BE CONSIDERED: The State Board of Education:
Approve for first reading and filing authorization proposed new 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.4, Parental Rights Training for School Board Members.
Staff Members Responsible:
Steve Lecholop, Deputy Commissioner, Governance
Marian Schutte, Associate Commissioner, Authorizing and Policy
Christopher Lucas, Director, Research, and Policy, Governance
Attachment I:
Text of SB 204, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, as enrolled
Attachment II:
Text of Proposed New 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.4, Parental Rights Training for School Board Members