Education
BY HANNAH NORTON
Teachers now have more disciplinary authority House Bill 6 gives public school teachers more discretion to remove students from the classroom if they are repeatedly disruptive or threaten the safety of others. The change comes after nearly half of Texas public school teachers cited disci- pline issues as a top workplace challenge in 2022, according to the Texas Education Agency. What you need to know The law, which took e ect immediately when Gov. Greg Abbott signed it on June 20, allows schools to suspend students of any age who engage in “repeated or signi cant” disruptions, reversing a 2017 state law that generally prohib- ited schools from suspending students in pre-K through second grade. If students in kindergarten through third grade are sent home for behavioral issues, schools must provide documentation
Districts to level-set high school GPAs Texas school districts will soon be required to use a standard system to calculate high school students’ grade point averages. At a glance Senate Bill 1191 became law June 20. It directs the Texas Education Agency to create a new GPA standard, which must give equal weight to advanced placement, international baccalaureate and dual enrollment courses. Quote of note “It most likely won’t impact kids that are currently enrolled in high school, … because it’s going to take a while to make sure every- one is on the same page,” said Bob Popinski, who leads the policy team for public school advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas.
“A lot of the problems we see with our kids in high school is because they did not have consequences, none whatsoever, when
they were younger.” BILL AUTHOR REP. JEFF LEACH, R PLANO
explaining their decision. HB 6 gives schools the option to place students in an in-school suspension for as long as they see t, reversing the previous policy that limited it to three days. However, the three-day time limit on out-of-school suspensions remains unchanged. What they said Proponents of the bill said there has been a rise in classroom disruptions that needs to be addressed. Those against it said suspension and stricter punishment is not conducive to helping children develop.
New law bans cellphone usage in all K 12 schools
School districts could:
“We want our kids to focus on academics, such as math, science and reading, and the reality is, these phones are a distraction. ... Schools cite growing incidents of cyberbullying due to these phones,” bill author Rep. Caroline Fairly, R Amarillo, said in March. HB 1481 includes exceptions for students with medical needs or special education accommoda- tions, and does not apply to devices supplied by school districts for academic purposes.
When Texas public school students return to campus this fall, they will be prohibited from using cellphones, smartwatches and other personal communication devices throughout the school day. The details Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law June 20, giving school districts 90 days to adopt new electronic device policies, including disciplinary measures for students who violate the new cell- phone ban.
• Purchase pouches to store devices during the school day • Ask students to keep devices in their lockers or backpacks
Texas’ 2026-27 budget includes $20M in grants to help districts implement the law.
SOURCES: TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT
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