Legislative Impact

Staff are required to report child abuse to DFPS and law enforcement (can’t be ISD Police) within 24 hours (instead of 48) 

• Superintendents are required to report to SBEC / TEA within 48 hours (instead of 7 days) any reports of possible misconduct. 
• Public schools and employees are now allowed to be held liable for up to $500,000 plus attorneys' fees. A public school or employee who is grossly negligent or reckless, or engages in intentional misconduct, in hiring, supervising, or employing a professional employee who is liable for an act or omission that is committed by the employee against a student.

Districts are limited to the DOI exceptions of uncertified teachers in foundation curriculum areas. 

Certification fees are waived for the first time a teacher takes the Bilingual or Special Education certification exams. 

Administrators are prohibited, with certain exceptions, from receiving financial benefit when performing personal services to businesses that do business with their own districts, from curriculum businesses, or from other LEAs or ESCs. Violations can result in fines of up to $10,000. 

State law changed in 2023 to clarify business days and requires the establishment of non-business days under the Texas Public Information Act. The new statute defines ‘business day’ as a day other than a Saturday or Sunday, a national holiday, or a state holiday. This means many days during ROISD holidays, including winter break, Thanksgiving, spring break, and summer, count for PIA request for the 10 days to reply. Annually, the Board approves the 10 non-business days, and they are listed on the website.

House Bill 2 is a comprehensive school finance bill that supports students and infuses dollars and resources into Texas public schools. This bill provides critical support in several key areas, such as funding for teacher pay raises, support staff, special education, early childhood, and school safety. Key provisions included substantial teacher salary increases (Teacher Retention Allotment), funding for non-administrative staff raises, funding for operational costs, increased special education needs, and school safety at our schools.

The new Teacher Retention Allotment (TRA) provides classroom teachers with at least three years of experience with a state-funded salary increase based on the size of the district and the experience level of the classroom teacher. For the 2025-2026 school year, districts with enrollment greater than 5,000 students, teachers with 3-4 years of experience will receive $2,500, and teachers with 5 years or greater experience will receive $5,000.  

• This salary increase is not a stipend or temporary bonus, but an increase in the base salary and is reflected in the teacher pay schedules.  
• First and second year teachers do not qualify, and non-classroom staff aren’t included under TRA.

House Bill 2 also includes funding for the expansion of the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a state program that awards raises to educators who demonstrate that they have improved their students’ academic outcomes. The Support Staff Retention Allotment (SSRA) provides districts with an allotment of $45 for each student in attendance (ADA) to provide funding for non-classroom staff, such as school counselors, librarians, nurses, custodians, bus drivers, food service staff, and other support staff.   

In addition, HB 2 also provided $106 per student to help offset the inflationary costs to operate a school district for items such as transportation, insurance, and utilities since the basic allotment had not been increased in 6 years. Additional funding for special education is also provided to assist with the individual needs of each student.

SB 204, which became effective on September 1, 2025, focuses on formalizing the education of school officials and parents regarding parental rights in the education system. The law requires the State Board of Education to develop specific training concerning the rights of a parent in their child's education by April 1, 2026. School board trustees who are sworn in before January 1, 2026, are mandated to complete this new training by September 1, 2026. 

Additionally, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is required to create and maintain a comprehensive handbook explaining these rights by January 1, 2026. This handbook must be updated annually and provided to the public in a searchable format online. As of February 2, the 89th Legislative Update shows the Parent Rights Handbook will be available in February 2026.

Social Transitioning - Under SB 12, School employees are strictly prohibited from assisting students with "social transitioning," which specifically includes name or pronoun changes and changes in gender expression.  

Ban on Related Instruction: The law bans any instruction, programming, or guidance regarding sexual orientation and gender identity for students in all grades from Pre-K through 12th grade.

Student Clubs - The 89th Legislative Session introduced significant new regulations for school clubs through SB 12, focusing on content restrictions and mandatory parental oversight. 

Prohibited Club Types: School districts are now prohibited from allowing student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Mandatory Parental Consent: Students are required to have written parental consent to participate in any school-sponsored club.

Daily Physical Exercise - Texas Senate Bill 25 (SB 25) from the 2025 legislative session prohibits schools from using physical education (PE), recess, or sports practice as a form of punishment or discipline for student behavior or academic performance, ensuring daily physical activity for K-8 students, while also adding nutrition education requirements and food labeling mandates.  

This means students can't be forced to sit out PE or recess due to misbehavior, though extra activity after meeting minimum requirements is different.  

If a student has completed their required physical activity minutes, schools can use additional recess or activity time for other purposes, but the core PE/recess can't be removed as punishment.

While HB 6 serves as the primary legislative vehicle for overhauling school discipline, HB 2 provides supportive financial and professional protections that impact how discipline is managed on campuses. TEA created an Overview of School Discipline in Texas for Parents document to help inform parents of their rights. 
 

Cell Phone Ban - To provide a focused, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment and under a new Texas law, Red Oak ISD prohibits the use of personal wireless communication devices (PWCDs) - including cell phones, smartwatches, earbuds, headphones, tablets, pagers, or laptops not issued by the school, or any device capable of sending or receiving wireless communication — at any time during the instructional day, in alignment with Texas House Bill 1481. 

Secondary students must place their devices in a Yondr pouch, which is locked for the duration of the school day. 

Elementary students turn off devices and place them in their backpacks.

Library Materials - Under SB 13, parents have increased oversight of library materials, including the right to receive records of books their child has checked out and to opt their child out of specific materials. SLAC (School Library Advisory Council) will oversee purchases of library books.

Instructional Materials - The most recent version of HB100 focuses on instructional materials and was passed during the 89th Legislative Session.This bill prohibits school districts from using state or local funds to purchase instructional materials containing "obscene or harmful" content. It also established a "rejected list" maintained by the State Board of Education. Schools are barred from adopting any material or using state or local funds to purchase materials on this list. Provisions will take effect for the 2026–2027 school year. List of rejected materials 
 

The Texas Reading Academies focus on high-quality, research-based literacy instruction for elementary teachers, rooted in the Science of Teaching Reading (STR). The goal is to equip educators with strategies for effective reading lessons and application. The Texas Reading Academies are required for all teachers in grades K-3, administrators, and instructional coaches.  

The Texas Math Academies focus on enhancing math teaching practices, content knowledge, and leadership for K-3 educators and leaders. The Texas Math Academies will be required for all K-3 teachers, principals, instructional coaches, and interventionists by the 2030-2031 school year. 

(HB 8), passed during the 2nd Called Session of the 89th Texas Legislature, is a major piece of legislation that repeals and replaces the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) with a new assessment program and modifies the state's A–F accountability system. 

• Starting with the 2027–28 school year, the STAAR test will be replaced by the Student Success Tool (SST). Key features of this new program include: 
• Through-Year Testing: For grades 3–8 (and Spanish 3–5), the program will consist of beginning-of-year (BOY), middle-of-year (MOY), and end-of-year (EOY) assessments. 
• High School Changes: The English II end-of-course (EOC) assessment is eliminated as both a testing requirement and a graduation requirement starting with the 2027–28 school year. Other EOC assessments (Algebra I, Biology, English I, and U.S. History) will have optional BOY and MOY components. 
• Shorter and Adaptive Tests: Assessments must be shorter than STAAR and designed to better support accommodations. BOY and MOY tests will be adaptive to provide more precise student-level data, while EOY tests will be static to allow parents and teachers access to released questions. 
• Rapid Results: School systems must receive assessment results within two business days after a testing window closes. 
• Writing Assessments: The writing portion of reading language arts assessments will be administered separately in April. 

Immediate Changes (Effective 2025–26 School Year) 

• Monday Testing Allowed: The previous prohibition against administering state assessments on the first Monday of a testing window has been repealed. 
• Test Anxiety Mitigation: The Commissioner is now required to ensure that test administration procedures include instructions designed to mitigate student test anxiety. 
• Parental Access: School systems must provide parents with easy access to the Texas Assessment Family Portal through local portals and notify them automatically whenever new results are available. 

Senate Bill 1191 standardizes how high school GPAs are calculated across Texas. The law requires the Texas Commissioner of Education to develop a single, statewide method for computing high school grade point averages and mandates that all school districts use it. 

SB 1191 creates a level playing field for GPA calculation across Texas high schools. 

It ensures that AP, IB, OnRamps, and dual credit courses carry equivalent value, protecting students from districttodistrict inequities and simplifying postsecondary comparisons. 
 

House Bill 2 (HB 2) represents the largest single investment in College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) since HB 3 (2019). Passed by the 89th Legislature and signed in June 2025, HB 2 significantly increases funding for CCMR pathways and gives districts more flexibility in how they design, deliver, and scale postsecondary readiness programs. 

HB 2 shifts Texas from “participation based” to outcomes driven CCMR, rewarding districts for students who actually graduate ready. 

HB 2 significantly increases CCMR funding and gives districts the flexibility to use it strategically. 

For educators, this means more resources, fewer silos, and greater emphasis on real postsecondary success for students.

Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) refers to different significant laws, most recently a "bathroom bill" effective December 2025, restricting public facility access by biological sex. This bill is effective December 2025.

• What it is: Mandates restrooms, locker rooms, and changing areas in public schools/universities match biological sex, with limited exceptions (emergencies, maintenance, law enforcement, young children with adults).
• Guidance Focus: Look for advisories from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and school districts on policy implementation, student privacy, and documentation of incidents.
• Red Oak ISD Notes:
  • Applies to all employees, students, contractors, and visitors; unless exceptions (see below).
  • Required to have signage on multiple-occupancy private spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and shower spaces.
  • Red Oak ISD will take all preventive measures to ensure an individual whose sex is opposite to the designated space does not enter said space.
  • Clear policies will be in place outlining spaces, expectations, violations, consequences, etc.
  • Exceptions - does not apply to children nine or under in age, or to individuals entering the space for custodial/cleaning, law enforcement, emergency assistance, or to render assistance to prevent a serious threat to order or safety.
  • Concerns or reports of violations can be submitted through the Parent Portal