The Senate Education Committee met Thursday, April 27, 2023, to consider legislation that would order the state to audit classroom curricula.  

Senate Bill (SB) 165 by Sen. Donna Campbell (R–New Braunfels) would, among other things, require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to audit the curriculum used in school districts each year to “ensure compliance with applicable federal and state law.” 

ATPE opposed SB 165 due to this provision, pointing out that it is unworkable as written. It is unclear how TEA could feasibly audit the curricula of more than 350,000 teachers each year. The bill is also unclear as to how curricula would be evaluated. 

SB 165 would require each district to notify all parents in the district if there were a single incidence of noncompliant curriculum. It would also require TEA to post on its website a list of all districts in which curricula have been judged as noncompliant. 

The bill would not require the agency to inform a district as to why a curriculum was judged noncompliant, nor would it provide an opportunity to cure any alleged noncompliance before being publicly penalized. 

ATPE supported SB 979 by Campbell, which would add recognizing symptoms of rhabdomyolysis to the required safety training for certain extracurricular activities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rhabdomyolysis, often called rhabdo, is a serious medical condition that can affect athletes and can be fatal or result in permanent disability. The condition occurs when damaged muscle tissue releases proteins and electrolytes into the blood, which can damage the heart and kidneys. 

The rest of the committee’s agenda can be read here. 

The committee voted to advance SB 1557 by Sen. Tan Parker (R–Flower Mound), an ATPE-opposed voucher bill tied to school employee misconduct. Members voted 10-3 along party lines, with all Republicans supporting the voucher and the committee’s three Democrats opposing.