H.B. No. 7 is a comprehensive bill aimed at enhancing parental rights in public education and improving the reporting of misconduct and child abuse within school districts. Key provisions include new subsections in the Education Code that empower parents to appeal school district decisions regarding violations of school laws or employment contracts. The commissioner of education is granted authority to remand cases for further investigation and to order corrective actions. The bill also establishes a framework for dispute resolution, requiring the commissioner to develop a training program for facilitators to assist in resolving grievances between parents and school districts. Additionally, it mandates that school districts inform parents of their rights, provide access to educational records, and disclose teacher certification information.

The bill introduces significant amendments to the Education Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, focusing on the reporting of educator misconduct and child abuse. It establishes clear reporting requirements for specific offenses, including those necessitating sex offender registration, and creates a registry of individuals ineligible for employment in educational entities. The legislation emphasizes confidentiality in complaints and investigations, while also granting immunity to those who report misconduct in good faith. Furthermore, it outlines new procedures for handling allegations of misconduct, including immediate placement of notices on public certification records and the establishment of a grievance policy for school districts. The changes are set to take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year, with certain provisions applying to appeals filed after September 1, 2025.

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 22, Subtitle D, Title , Education Code 43, Education Code 12, Education Code 7, Education Code 39, The following provisions of the Education Code 33, Family Code 261, Education Code 11, Education Code 33, Education Code 21, Education Code 26, Health and Safety Code 810)