HB 133 repeals the Texas Quantum Initiative by removing Subchapter HH from the Government Code, effective September 1, 2025. It redirects all funds previously allocated to this initiative to the Texas Education Agency for the 2025-2027 state fiscal biennium. The redirected funds will be used to reduce the state's compression percentage under Education Code Section 48.255, lowering the state's share of education funding costs. This bill directly affects the Texas Quantum Initiative program and Texas public school funding mechanisms, with no new program creation or policy changes beyond the fund reallocation. The bill takes effect 91 days after the legislative session concludes.
HB 39 amends Texas law to adjust how school districts calculate property values for state funding. It directs that taxable value for school finance purposes must exclude certain homestead exemptions, including those under Tax Code Sections 11.13(b), (c), and (n), as well as captured appraised value in designated reinvestment zones. This change directly affects Texas public school districts by altering the property value base used to determine state funding allocations. The bill modifies Education Code Section 7.062(c) and Government Code Section 403.302(d) to implement this adjustment in funding calculations.
HB 142 reduces the maximum tax rate school districts can levy for the 2026-2027 school year by directing $200 million in federal border security funds to the Texas Education Agency. It requires the commissioner to calculate each district's current maximum tax rate and reduce it equally using these funds, while ensuring no district's rate falls below 90% of another district's rate. This change directly affects all Texas public school districts by lowering their allowable tax rates for that school year. The bill updates how school funding formulas reference these tax rates, ensuring the reduction is reflected in calculations for state funding. The appropriation expires September 1, 2028.
HB 159 prohibits using results from certain state-mandated student assessments as the sole factor in teacher evaluations or pay decisions. It also allows Texas school districts to adopt or develop "adaptive, growth-based" assessments - measuring individual student progress over time and adjusting difficulty during testing - for interim testing, provided a federal waiver is secured. These alternative assessments must be administered statewide as interim tests, with results combined into a single score per student. The bill directly affects public school students (through assessment methods), teachers (in evaluation processes), and school districts (in testing administration).
HB 199 requires Texas school districts to hold bond elections for voter approval on specific, standardized dates - either a general primary election, general election for state/county offices, or the May uniform election date. This directly affects all school districts seeking bond issuance, as they can no longer schedule these elections on arbitrary dates. The bill mandates that school boards must align bond elections with existing statewide election schedules, eliminating district discretion over election timing. This change streamlines the voting process by ensuring bond votes occur during established election cycles, reducing administrative complexity for districts.
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Elections
SB 9 proposes changes to Texas public school accountability systems. It requires the Texas Education Agency to create a single-click website for parents to access their child’s state assessment results immediately after testing. The bill mandates a new "instructionally supportive assessment program" focused on progress monitoring and balanced testing, replacing punitive rating systems. It also establishes a grant program for school districts to develop local accountability plans and outlines procedures for challenging TEA decisions related to school ratings. The bill directly affects parents, public schools, and the Texas Education Agency.
HB 308 creates a new criminal offense for trespassing on or near school or day-care center property. It applies to individuals who enter school property or remain within 250 feet of it if their conduct is disruptive, threatening, or harassing to students, staff, or school operations, and they lack a valid reason (like custody) or written permission from the school. The law requires that the person ignores a reasonable request to leave from school staff before being charged. Violating this law is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine. The bill specifically targets disruptive behavior near schools, not general trespassing.
HB 56 requires Texas public school districts to develop annual plans focused on improving student performance in reading and math, particularly for third graders. These plans must include specific goals for closing achievement gaps, provide targeted professional development for K-3 teachers at underperforming campuses, and be reviewed annually by school boards. The bill also establishes criteria for a literacy achievement academy, prioritizing teachers at campuses failing to meet reading standards and schools with high percentages of educationally disadvantaged students. Additionally, it mandates that adopted reading and math assessments be based on scientific research and administered at the start and end of the school year.
HB 275 would lower the voter approval threshold for school district bond elections in Texas from 60% (three-fifths) to a simple majority (50% plus one vote). This change directly affects Texas public school districts seeking to fund construction or improvements through bond measures. The bill amends Education Code Section 45.003 to require only majority approval for bond elections, while maintaining the existing 60% threshold for tax levies. The law would take effect only if voters approve a related constitutional amendment in 2025, with implementation set for January 1, 2027.
HB 87 prohibits Texas school districts from authorizing new bonds if their existing debt payments (principal and interest) plus the proposed bond would exceed 18% of the district's annual budget. It specifically blocks elections for new bonds when either current debt payments alone surpass 18% of the budget or the combined total of existing and proposed debt would exceed that threshold. The bill applies only to bond elections ordered on or after its effective date (91 days after the legislative session ends), leaving pre-existing election plans governed by current law. This directly affects school districts seeking to issue new bonds for projects like facility construction or improvements.
