A teacher new to your district could take unpaid parental leave if they have taught in Texas for at least 12 months
What it does
Each school district board of trustees would have to adopt a parental leave policy for classroom teachers. A teacher who has been with the district fewer than 12 months, or who worked fewer than 1,250 hours in the 12 months before the leave, would qualify if the teacher has been a classroom teacher for any district in Texas for at least 12 months and at least 1,250 hours in that period. The leave could last up to 12 weeks and would begin on the birth of a natural child, an adoption, or a foster care placement. Teachers would have to use all applicable paid vacation and sick leave first, and the rest of the leave would be unpaid.
What it means for your community
A teacher who moves to a new district could still take up to 12 weeks off for a new baby, an adoption, or a foster placement, because eligibility counts teaching time in Texas schools and not just time at the new district. The leave is unpaid once your paid vacation and sick days are used, and each district writes its own policy. The change would apply starting with the 2027-2028 school year if the Legislature passes it.
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