S.B. No. 204 aims to enhance parental rights in education by mandating the creation of a comprehensive handbook and establishing training requirements for school district trustees. The bill amends Section 11.159 of the Education Code to require the State Board of Education to develop training on parental rights regarding their children's education, with the curriculum and materials to be created with assistance from the Texas Education Agency. Additionally, it introduces a new Section 26.0025, which mandates the Texas Education Agency to create and maintain a parental rights handbook that outlines all rights parents have concerning their child's education, including rights that can be enforced on behalf of the student.

The handbook must be written in plain language, updated annually to reflect changes in law or agency guidance, and made publicly available in a searchable format on the agency's website. The bill sets specific deadlines for the creation of the handbook and the training program, requiring the handbook to be ready by January 1, 2026, and the training to be available by April 1, 2026. Furthermore, it stipulates that existing school district trustees must complete the training by September 1, 2026. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 11.159 (Education Code 11)
Senate Committee Report: Education Code 11.159 (Education Code 11)