During the 89th Texas Legislature, House Bill 6 (HB 6) was passed. This bill aims to overhaul public school discipline and expand access to mental health services through telemedicine. Commonly referred to as the “Teachers Bill of Rights,” HB 6 is designed to give educators more authority in managing their classrooms while ensuring continuity of education for students facing disciplinary actions. These provisions will take effect starting in the 2025–2026 school year, coinciding with the beginning of the new school year.
According to the education committee of the lower chamber, the background and purpose of this bill stem from data published by the National Center for Education Statistics in 2022. The data indicates that public schools have experienced an increase in incidents of student misconduct, disruptive behavior outside the classroom, and disrespectful acts towards teachers and staff since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. HB 6 aims to address these pressing issues in Texas classrooms by revising disciplinary processes and procedures. The bill focuses on ensuring appropriate responses to classroom disruptions, serious and dangerous behaviors both in and out of school, and overall student misconduct. Additionally, it seeks to provide greater flexibility and mechanisms to support safe classrooms, Texas schoolchildren, and educators throughout the state.
HB 6 includes several key elements. One significant aspect is the increased authority given to teachers. The law allows teachers to remove a student from the classroom for disruptive behavior, even if it’s just a single incident. A student can only return to class once the teacher provides written consent and a return-to-class plan has been developed.
This bill establishes a unique discipline plan in the form of a virtual disciplinary program. It creates a new virtual expulsion program that enables school districts to provide remote instruction for students who have been expelled. Additionally, the bill allows for virtual placements for students in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEP).
The bill clarifies and expands the rules regarding student suspensions. In-school suspension (ISS) no longer has a time limit, but a campus behavior coordinator must review a student’s placement every 10 school days. For out-of-school suspension (OSS), limits have been clarified for specific student groups. For students below third grade or those experiencing homelessness, OSS is now restricted to offenses that pose an immediate threat to health and safety or cause “repeated or significant disruption.”
Each school campus must designate a single campus behavior coordinator (CBC) responsible for monitoring all disciplinary referrals and ensuring compliance with Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code. Additionally, telehealth mental health services will now be available. House Bill 6 expands the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program, allowing school districts to provide mental health services to students via telehealth with parental consent.
There are also changes concerning special education students. The law removes certain requirements for Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee reviews before a special education student can be disciplined for bullying or harassment. Furthermore, school districts are allowed to seek a civil court order to remove a student with a disability if a threat assessment indicates they pose a substantial risk of physical harm to themselves or others.
There are also changes to expulsion offenses. The recent legislation introduces significant amendments regarding expulsion offenses in educational settings. Notably, it stipulates that the location where an offense occurs—whether on school grounds or off campus—no longer holds relevance for a substantial number of offenses that warrant mandatory expulsion. This change underscores a shift towards a more comprehensive approach to student conduct. Furthermore, the new law expands the scope of expulsion authority to encompass specific off-campus behaviors, including but not limited to physically assaulting a school employee. This provision aims to enhance the safety and security of the school environment by holding students accountable for their actions, regardless of where they occur.
Locally HB6 is welcomed. Brownfield ISD Superintend Chris Smith said, “HB6 is a welcome change from where the laws have taken us previously. We have always advocated for our teachers and staff and it’s nice to have some additional protections in place. HB6 allows schools to provide a learning environment free from discipline disruptions. It is a win for public education.”
Meadow ISD Superintendent Bric Turner agrees, saying, “HB 6 gives both teachers and administrators more tools to provide effective disciplinary measures if needed. Meadow ISD does not expect anything to change as we have great students and dedicated educators who have experienced few discipline issues in previous school years.”
Supporters of the law, including many teachers, argue that it is essential for addressing the rise in student misconduct that has followed the COVID-19 pandemic. They believe it creates a more structured and supportive educational environment by giving teachers greater control and expanding access to mental health services.
However, opponents, including some disability rights advocates and student advocates, express concerns that the bill undermines due process protections, particularly for students with disabilities. They also fear that the expansion of virtual Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) might lead to negative educational outcomes for high-need students. Additionally, the law’s provisions that allow school districts to bypass Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committees and seek court-ordered removals for students with disabilities have raised concerns about potential conflicts with federal disability law.
