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School Library Rule Revisions Proposed

image: first page of proposed school library collection development standards, from Texas Register
Click the image above to access the proposed rules.

Revisions to the School Library Programs: Collection Development Standards have been proposed for public comment by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC).

The proposed revisions seek to update the original version of the standards that became effective in January 2024 after they were approved by TSLAC’s board (and followed by the State Board of Education (SBOE) signing off on them via a 13-1 vote (article)).

  • Note: The standards are mandated as a part of the overall public school library (HB900/regular session) reform bill passed in 2023 — the Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act.

The proposed revisions add requirements included in this year’s SB13/regular session legislation designed to — what supporters say — shore up weaknesses in the original READER Act.

  • Note: According to the Texas Register posting, the draft standards were approved by TSLAC’s board following a vetting process that included input by SBOE member Julie Pickren, R-Pearland, who was designated by SBOE Chair Aaron Kinsey, R-Midland, to give the board’s official feedback to TSLAC. A later meeting that included Pickren and Kinsey further refined the resulting draft rules that TSLAC’s board approved.

TSLAC is accepting public comments (info here) on the proposed revisions for a 30-day period that began with the Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, Texas Register posting.