HB 362

relating to the assignment of public school students enrolled in
certain school districts to an uncertified teacher.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 7.056(e), Education  Code, is amended to
(e)  Except as provided by Subsection (f), a school campus or
district may not receive an exemption or waiver under this section
(1)  a prohibition on conduct that constitutes a
(2)  a requirement imposed by federal law or rule,
including a requirement for special education or bilingual
(3)  a requirement, restriction, or prohibition
(A)  essential knowledge or skills under Section
28.002 or high school graduation requirements under Section 28.025;
(B)  public school accountability as provided by
Subchapters B, C, D, and J, Chapter 39, and Chapter 39A;
(C)  extracurricular activities under Section
33.081 or participation in a University Interscholastic League
area, regional, or state competition under Section 33.0812;
(D)  health and safety under Chapter 38;
(E)  purchasing under Subchapter B, Chapter 44;
(F)  elementary school class size limits, except
(G)  removal of a disruptive student from the
classroom under Subchapter A, Chapter 37;
(H)  at-risk programs under Subchapter C, Chapter
(I)  prekindergarten programs under Subchapter E,
(J)  educator rights and benefits under
Subchapters A, C, D, E, F, G, and I, Chapter 21, or under Subchapter
(K)  special education programs under Subchapter
(L)  bilingual education programs under
(M)  the requirements for the first day of
instruction under Section 25.0811; or
(N)  assignment of a student to a teacher under
Section 28.0215, except as provided by Subsection (c) of that
SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.0215 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.0215.  REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSIGNMENT OF STUDENTS TO
TEACHERS.  (a)  This section applies only to a school district with
an enrollment of 5,000 or more students.
(b)  A student in first through sixth grade who attends an
elementary school may not be assigned for two consecutive school
years to a teacher teaching a subject in the foundation curriculum
under Section 28.002(a)(1) who has less than one year of teaching
experience and who does not hold the appropriate certificate
required under Section 21.003 unless:
(1)  the student's parent or other person standing in
parental relation to the student and a school counselor or school
administrator agree otherwise regarding assignment of the student
(2)  the assignment of the student to the teacher
occurs during the first year a student transfers into a school
(c)  The commissioner may grant a waiver from the
requirements of this section to a school district if the
commissioner finds that extreme circumstances in the district
warrant the waiver.  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary
SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.