School district trustees must reduce unnecessary teacher paperwork, and classroom teachers generally cannot be required to prepare written information beyond listed categories.
Sec. 11.164. RESTRICTING WRITTEN INFORMATION. (a) The board of trustees of each school district shall limit redundant requests for information and the number and length of written reports that a classroom teacher is required to prepare. A classroom teacher may not be required to prepare any written information other than: (1) any report concerning the health, safety, or welfare of a student; (2) a report of a student's grade on an assignment or examination; (3) a report of a student's academic progress in a class or course; (4) a report of a student's grades at the end of each grade reporting period; (5) a report on instructional materials; (6) subject to Subsection (a-1), a unit or weekly lesson plan that outlines, in a brief and general manner, the information to be presented during each period at the secondary level or in each subject or topic at the elementary level; (7) an attendance report; (8) any report required for accreditation review; (9) any information required by a school district that relates to a complaint, grievance, or actual or potential litigation and that requires the classroom teacher's involvement; or (10) any information specifically required by law, rule, or regulation. (a-1) A unit or weekly lesson plan that is included in instructional material, as defined by Section 31.002, and adopted by the board of trustees of the school district at which a teacher is employed is sufficient to satisfy a requirement to prepare written information described by Subsection (a)(6). (b) The board of trustees shall review paperwork requirements imposed on classroom teachers and shall transfer to existing noninstructional staff a reporting task that can reasonably be accomplished by that staff. (c) This section does not preclude a school district from collecting essential information, in addition to information specified under Subsection (a), from a classroom teacher on agreement between the classroom teacher and the district. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1320, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 201, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 6 (S.B. 6), Sec. 10, eff. July 19, 2011. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 818 (H.B. 1605), Sec. 1, eff. June 13, 2023.