89R7722 GP-F     By: King H.B. No. 27       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to courses in personal financial literacy and economics   for high school students in public schools.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 28.002(a), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Each school district that offers kindergarten through   grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:                (1)  a foundation curriculum that includes:                      (A)  English language arts;                      (B)  mathematics;                      (C)  science; and                      (D)  social studies, consisting of Texas, United   States, and world history, government, personal financial   literacy, economics, with emphasis on the free enterprise system   and its benefits, and geography; and                (2)  an enrichment curriculum that includes:                      (A)  to the extent possible, languages other than   English;                      (B)  health, with emphasis on:                            (i)  physical health, including the   importance of proper nutrition and exercise;                            (ii)  mental health, including instruction   about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage   emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and   responsible decision-making; and                            (iii)  suicide prevention, including   recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;                      (C)  physical education;                      (D)  fine arts;                      (E)  career and technology education;                      (F)  technology applications; and                      (G)  religious literature, including the Hebrew   Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on   history and literature [; and                      [(H)  personal financial literacy].          SECTION 2.  Section 28.0021(b), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  Each school district and each open-enrollment charter   school that offers a high school program shall provide a [an   elective] course in personal financial literacy that meets the   requirements for a one-half social studies [elective] credit under   Section 28.025, using materials approved by the State Board of   Education. The instruction in personal financial literacy must   include instruction on completing the application for federal   student aid provided by the United States Department of Education.   In fulfilling the requirement to provide financial literacy   instruction under this section, a school district or   open-enrollment charter school may use an existing state, federal,   private, or nonprofit program that provides students without charge   the instruction described under this section.          SECTION 3.  Sections 28.025(b-1) and (b-23), Education Code,   are amended to read as follows:          (b-1)  The State Board of Education by rule shall require   that the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school   program under Subsection (a) include a requirement that students   successfully complete:                (1)  four credits in English language arts under   Section 28.002(a)(1)(A), including one credit in English I, one   credit in English II, one credit in English III, and one credit in   an advanced English course authorized under Subsection (b-2);                (2)  three credits in mathematics under Section   28.002(a)(1)(B), including one credit in Algebra I, one credit in   geometry, and one credit in any advanced mathematics course   authorized under Subsection (b-2);                (3)  three credits in science under Section   28.002(a)(1)(C), including one credit in biology, one credit in any   advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2), and one   credit in integrated physics and chemistry or in an additional   advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2);                (4)  three credits in social studies under Section   28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at   least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in   [economics or] personal financial literacy [& economics], and one   credit in economics, world geography, or world history;                (5)  except as provided under Subsections (b-12),   (b-13), and (b-14), two credits in the same language in a language   other than English under Section 28.002(a)(2)(A);                (6)  five elective credits;                (7)  one credit in fine arts under Section   28.002(a)(2)(D); and                (8)  except as provided by Subsection (b-11), one   credit in physical education under Section 28.002(a)(2)(C).          (b-23)  The agency shall:                (1)  develop a list of free, open-source, and publicly   available curricula that may be used by a school district to provide   a personal financial literacy [& economics] course that satisfies   the curriculum requirement under Subsection (b-1)(4); and                (2)  seek, accept, and spend any federal or private   grant funds and gifts that are available for the purpose of   providing a personal financial literacy [& economics] course as   part of the foundation high school program.          SECTION 4.  Section 28.025(b-22), Education Code, is   repealed.          SECTION 5.  Sections 28.0021(b) and 28.025(b-1), Education   Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to students entering the   ninth grade during the 2025-2026 school year or a later school year.     For students entering a grade above ninth grade during the   2025-2026 school year, Sections 28.0021(b) and 28.025(b-1),   Education Code, as those sections existed before amendment by this   Act, apply, and those sections are continued in effect for that   purpose.          SECTION 6.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026   school year.          SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.