Relating to the required number of minutes of instructional time to be provided by a juvenile justice alternative education program.

HB 2040 requires juvenile justice alternative education programs in Texas to provide at least 43,200 minutes (equivalent to seven hours daily over 180 days) of instructional time each school year. This policy directly affects programs serving youth in the juvenile justice system, replacing prior requirements for daily and annual hour counts. Programs may apply to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department for a waiver of the minute requirement, but waivers cannot exceed the highest number granted to any school district served by the program. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year.