The bill, H.B. No. 3956, establishes a parent-directed supplemental services and instructional materials program for public school students in Texas by adding Subchapter S to Chapter 29 of the Education Code. This program allows parents of eligible students to select supplemental services and instructional materials, which can include textbooks, technology, and private tutoring. The Texas Education Agency is tasked with administering the program, providing grants to approved students for purchasing these materials and services, and maintaining an online account system for parents to access their grants. The bill also outlines eligibility criteria for students, which includes being enrolled in a school district or open-enrollment charter school and prioritizing those eligible for compensatory education.

Additionally, the bill allows school districts or charter schools to charge fees for supplemental services or materials that are not typically provided. It mandates the establishment of criteria for agency-approved providers and vendors of these services and materials. The bill specifies that students can receive a grant of $1,000 or more, funded by appropriations, and outlines the process for transferring control of the grant account from parents to students upon graduation. The commissioner of education is required to adopt necessary rules for the program by December 1, 2026, and the bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses, or on September 1, 2025, otherwise.

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