Local Classroom Review (LCR)
In Texas, a Local Classroom Review (LCR) is a formal process established by House Bill 1605 that allows parents to request an evaluation of instructional materials used in their child’s classroom to ensure alignment with district-adopted resources and the rigor of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Local reviews of classroom instructional materials are aligned to the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) rubric development schedule and review cycles.
As such, local classroom reviews for the 2025–26 school year can occur for the following courses:
- K-8 English Language arts and Reading
- K-8 Mathematics, Algebra I, Geometry & Algebra II
Starting September 1, 2025, parents can submit a formal request (see document below) to the Chaparral Star Academy (CSA) Governing Board to initiate a classroom review. Parents may also present a petition to the CSA governing board for a local classroom review.
A local classroom review request refers to an individual parent’s request for an LCR. The school board is not required to conduct a LCR in this situation.
A local classroom review petition refers to a formal submission to the local school board that must meet specific statutory requirements outlined in TEC §26.0061 and 19 TAC §67.69. A petition typically involves multiple parents and is subject to review thresholds (e.g., 25% of parents in a grade level) that determine whether a classroom review is required. Petitions must be reviewed by the board at the next regular meeting and follow the appeal procedures if denied, as outlined in 19 TAC §67.69.
The board is required to consider the request and/or petition at their next regular meeting, provided the request and/or petition is submitted within the timeframe for agenda posting.
The governing board may deny the petition to conduct the LCR if the petition is presented by parents of less than 50 percent of the students enrolled at CSA.
If the petition meets the statutory requirements, certified reviewers will assess a week’s worth of materials, including blank student assignments, against a rubric approved by the State Board of Education, to determine if materials are consistent with district adoption and meet grade-level TEKS rigor.
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
1. Parent Request: A parent submits the Chaparral Star Academy Local Classroom Review Parent Request Form (formal request, see document below) to the CSA governing board requesting a review of specific instructional materials for their child’s grade level, content area, and campus.
2. Governing Board Consideration: The governing board must consider the request and/or petition at the regular board meeting following its submission.
3. Review Conducted: If the petition meets the statutory requirements, certified reviewers evaluate the materials using an SBOE-approved rubric.
4. Review Outcome: The review assesses two main points:
- Alignment: Do the materials used in the classroom align with the district’s adopted instructional materials?
- Rigor: Do the materials meet the rigor outlined in the state’s TEKS for the specific grade level?
5. Report: A report is generated that provides information to the parents and school community.
KEY ASPECTS OF THE LOCAL CLASSROOM REVIEW PROCESS
- Statutory Basis: The process is established under Texas Education Code (TEC) §31.0252 and outlined in Texas Administrative Code §67.69.
- Effective Date: The process became available for parent requests starting September 1, 2025.
- Purpose: To ensure that instructional materials in Texas classrooms correspond with district- adopted resources and maintain the required level of rigor for each grade level.
- Materials for Review: The review includes student assignments, lesson plans, teacher guides, and other related materials, though only the blank student assignments are used for scoring.
- Once a Year Limit: The district is not required to conduct an instructional material review for a specific subject area of grade level more than once per school year.
Parents wishing to appeal local classroom review decisions should follow the CSA Grievance Policy found in the student handbook.
Parents wishing to review all teaching materials, instructional materials, and other teaching aids used in the classroom of the parent's child personally (i.e. not a LCR) can e-mail the respective teacher with the request. Parents can review the Parental Challenge to Instructional Materials policy in the student handbook for more related information.
Parents wishing to challenge instructional materials (i.e. have an objection to the appropriateness of instructional material) can follow the procedures in the Parental Challenge to Instructional Materials policy in the student handbook.
Parents wishing to remove the parent's child temporarily from a class or other school activity that conflicts with the parent's religious or moral beliefs should present or deliver a written statement authorizing the removal of the child from the class or other school activity to the teacher of the parent's child. Parents can review the Parental Challenge to Instructional Materials policy in the student handbook for more related information.
The graphic below can help parents determine the best path:
STATE-PROVIDED RESOURCES
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) maintains website dedicated to Local Classroom Reviews and has some trainings available to parents to help understand the process: