H.B. No. 7 seeks to enhance parental rights in public education and establish the Office of Inspector General at the Texas Education Agency. The bill introduces mandatory policies for school districts, including the creation of a document to inform parents of their rights regarding their child's education, annual updates on board of trustees' information, and parental notification when an uncertified teacher is assigned to a classroom for an extended period. Key amendments include provisions for parental rights to select schools, access educational records, and the requirement for written consent before conducting psychological examinations or treatments on children. The bill also establishes a formal grievance policy, replacing "complaints" with "grievances," and mandates that each school district's board of trustees adopt a grievance procedure compliant with the newly introduced Chapter 26A.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the newly created Office of Inspector General, which will investigate complaints from parents regarding unethical conduct or violations of law by educational agencies. The office is authorized to conduct investigations, issue subpoenas, and maintain confidentiality for individuals involved in complaints. The bill also enhances reporting requirements for misconduct involving educators, establishes penalties for non-compliance, and introduces new procedures for handling allegations of misconduct. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of timely communication between law enforcement and educational institutions regarding investigations into school employees. Overall, the legislation aims to improve accountability, transparency, and parental involvement in the educational system while ensuring student safety and compliance with established policies.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 7.057, Education Code 11.1518, Education Code 26.004, Education Code 26.006, Education Code 26.009, Education Code 26.011, Education Code 28.004, Subtitle D, Title , Education Code 43.24, Education Code 39.003, Family Code 261.001, Family Code 261.103, Family Code 261.104, Family Code 261.105, Family Code 261.301, Family Code 261.304, Family Code 261.308, Family Code 261.402, Education Code 7.028, Education Code 12.0271, Education Code 12.0631, Education Code 12.104, Education Code 12.1059, Education Code 12.1151, Education Code 12.252, Education Code 21.054, Education Code 21.0585, Education Code 22.0815, Education Code 22.0825, Education Code 22.0833, Education Code 22.0834, Education Code 22.0836, Education Code 33.913, Education Code 39.0302, Health and Safety Code 810.003, Health and Safety Code 810.004, The following provisions of the Education Code 33.913 (Education Code 28, Education Code 39, Education Code 11, Subtitle D, Title , Education Code 43, Education Code 26, Health and Safety Code 810, Education Code 33, Education Code 12, Education Code 22, The following provisions of the Education Code 33, Education Code 7, Education Code 21, Family Code 261)
House Committee Report: Education Code 11.1518, Education Code 12.104, Education Code 26.004, Education Code 26.006, Education Code 26.009, Education Code 26.011, Education Code 28.004, Education Code 39.003, Subchapter B, Chapter , Education Code 43.24, Education Code 21.0585, Family Code 261.001, Family Code 261.101, Family Code 261.103, Family Code 261.104, Family Code 261.105, Family Code 261.301, Family Code 261.304, Family Code 261.308, Family Code 261.402, Family Code 261.406, Education Code 7.028, Education Code 12.0271, Education Code 12.0631, Education Code 12.1059, Education Code 12.1151, Education Code 12.252, Education Code 13.051, Education Code 21.054, Education Code 22.0815, Education Code 22.0825, Education Code 22.0833, Education Code 22.0834, Education Code 22.0836, Education Code 29.022, Education Code 33.913, Education Code 37.006, Education Code 39.0302, Health and Safety Code 810.003, Health and Safety Code 810.004, The following provisions of the Education Code 33.913 (Education Code 28, Education Code 39, Education Code 11, Subtitle D, Title , Education Code 43, Education Code 26, Health and Safety Code 810, Education Code 33, Subchapter B, Chapter , Education Code 43, Education Code 12, Education Code 22, The following provisions of the Education Code 33, Education Code 13, Education Code 7, Education Code 29, Education Code 21, Education Code 37, Family Code 261)