House Bill No. 1591 amends the Education Code to modify the scheduling of the first day of school for students by school districts. The bill introduces new provisions allowing districts designated as "districts of innovation" to begin instruction on or after the third Wednesday in August, in addition to existing options for starting before the fourth Monday in August under certain conditions. The bill also updates the requirements for local innovation plans, specifying that they must include accountability and assessment measures that exceed state and federal law, and it identifies exemptions from certain provisions of the Education Code.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that local innovation plans cannot exempt districts from specific state and federal requirements, including those related to academic and financial accountability and the new first day of instruction requirements. The changes will take effect starting with the 2026-2027 school year, and any local innovation plans adopted or renewed before the effective date will continue to be governed by the previous law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 25.0811 (Education Code 25)