TITLE: Relating to student access to public school instructional materials and technology.

SUMMARY: Relating to student access to public school instructional materials and technology.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to student access to public school instructional materials and technology. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 26.006, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: (c) A student's parent is entitled to request that the school district or open-enrollment charter school the student attends allow the student to take home any instructional materials used by the student. Subject to the availability of the instructional materials, the district or school shall honor the request. A student who takes home instructional materials must return the instructional materials to school at the beginning of the next school day if requested to do so by the student's teacher. A school district or open-enrollment charter school must provide the instructional materials to the student in printed format if the student does not have reliable access to technology at the student's home. In this subsection, "instructional material" has the meaning assigned by Section 31.002. (d) The requirement under Subsection (c) to provide to a student instructional materials in a prin ted format does not require a school district or open-enrollment charter school to purchase printed copies of instructional materials that the district or school otherwise would not purchase. A district or school may comply with Subsection (c) by providing the student a printout of the relevant electronic instructional materials. SECTION 2. Section 26.006, Education Code, as amended by this Act, applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year. SECTION 3. 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.