School boards are required to annually assess their needs both as individual board members and as a board collectively. The framework was first developed in 1996 and has been through several revisions, the most recent being approved by the State Board of Education in November 2020. 

 

Framework for School Board Development (revised by SBOE 11/2020)  

It is important that school board members are aware of and receive quality training every year. Topics are in statute, specifically Texas Education Code section 11.159 and 19 Texas Administrative Code section 61.1. Board members register for training and then provide a copy of the training certificate to the appropriate staff person at the school district office. This person is oftentimes the Superintendent's administrative assistant. He/she will be responsible for submitting training hours to the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) each year. 

 

Training Requirements for School Board Members (TASB Chart)
School Board Member Continuing Education TASB FAQ
School Board Trustee Training (TEA website)

Charter schools are public schools in Texas; however, training requirements vary from standard school districts. 19 Texas Administrative Code section100.1002-1005 and Texas Education Code 12.123 details the training requirements. As is the case in all schools, charter school board members should register for appropriate training courses and provide their certificate showing completion of training to the Superintendent's/Charter Director's administrative assistant. 

 

Charter School Board Training Requirements  

The Texas Government Code requires elected and appointed public officials to receive training in Texas open government laws. This requirement includes school board members who must complete the training within 90 days of taking office. The links below will take you to the Office of the Attorney General where free training courses are provided.  Upon completion of the viewing of the videos, participants may print their certificate. 

 

Open Meetings Act Training (63 minutes)
Public Information Act Training (57 minutes)

State agencies and local governments must complete this training by June 14 of each year. This link will take you to the Department of Information Resources (DIR) website. DIR is the only approved method of receiving this training.  Government entities must annually certify compliance by June 15 using the Cybersecurity Training Certification for State and Local Governments. School districts can track their compliance in any method they choose, and will not submit training records of completion to DIR.