What changed in 2025
House Bill 6 of the 89th Texas Legislature rewrote large parts of Chapter 37, starting with the 2025-26 school year. If your training is older than that, these are the changes for teacher removals.
| Topic | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Reasons to remove | Documented repeated interference, or behavior so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that it seriously interfered with teaching | Repeated interference; unruly, disruptive, or abusive behavior toward the teacher, another adult, or a student; or bullying (§37.002(b)) |
| Single incident | Not stated | Any of the three reasons can rest on one incident (§37.002(b-3)) |
| Telling the parent | Not in this section | Required (§37.002(b-2)) |
| Teacher's consent to return | "Consent" | "Written consent" (§37.002(c), (d)) |
| Return without consent | Committee decides it's the best or only alternative | Committee decision, a conference within three class days with the teacher invited, and a return-to-class plan (§37.002(c)) |
| Who writes the plan | No plan existed | An employee whose main duties aren't classroom teaching (§37.002(c)) |
| Student's appeal | Not in this section | To the placement review committee or, by district policy, the threat assessment team (§37.002(f)) |
| Special education | Not in this section | Section 37.004 applies (§37.002(g)) |
| Your job | Nothing specific to removals (an appraisal couldn't mark you down solely for them, since 2019) | No firing, suspension, contract nonrenewal, or certificate action for a good-faith removal, or for reporting a Chapter 37 violation (§22.05121) |
| State penalties for discipline numbers | Not stated | The state may not withhold funding or penalize a district for its number of removals, suspensions, or expulsions (§37.028) |
When it took effect
House Bill 6, by Rep. Jeff Leach, passed the House 124 to 20 and the Senate 29 to 2. The governor signed it on June 20, 2025, and it took effect that day. Its rules apply beginning with the 2025-26 school year. The job protection in Section 22.05121 also covers removals made before the bill passed, unless a case against the teacher was already closed (bill Section 24).
The same bill also changed suspensions, alternative education programs, and expulsions. Those parts are outside this site.
Reading an older guide?
Many guides teachers find online, including some from teacher associations, were written before 2025. If a guide says a removal needs "repeated" misbehavior, that the student's behavior must "seriously" interfere, or that consent alone decides the return, it describes the old law. The table above shows what changed. When a guide and the statute disagree, the statute is what counts. The current text
Sources
- House Bill 6, enrolled version. Section 8 of the bill amends §37.002.
- Bill history
The whole process, start to finish
New here? Start at the beginning- 1Know your rightThe law gives the decision to you.You are here
- 2Check that it fitsThree reasons. One incident can be enough.
- 3Keep a recordOne incident, one page. Print or save each one.
- 4Give written noticeYou notify your principal. You don't ask.
- 5The conferenceScheduled by the third class day. The student stays out until then.
- 6Your decision on the returnYour written consent, or the law's steps without it.
If your school ignores the law · Write your letters · Print the workbook · Something wrong on this page? Tell us
This site is general information, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. For your own situation, talk to a licensed Texas attorney.