Relating to grief instruction in public schools.

HB 4871 requires Texas public schools to include age-appropriate grief education in health classes for students in grades 8 through 12. The bill mandates that school districts incorporate instruction covering grief symptoms, coping strategies, and available mental health resources as part of their existing health curriculum. The State Board of Education will develop specific learning standards for this instruction, which must be implemented starting the 2025-2026 school year. This policy directly affects all Texas public school students in those grade levels and school districts that must update their health curriculum to comply.