(a) Instructional materials review and approval (IMRA) reviewers shall participate in training that includes at least the following:(1) the responsibilities of an IMRA reviewer;(2) statutes and rules pertaining to the IMRA process;(3) essential knowledge and skills specified for subjects and grades or courses included in the proclamation or request for instructional materials, including clear and consistent guidelines for determining Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines (TPG), or English Language Proficiency Standards coverage within the instructional materials;(4) identifying factual errors;(5) the schedule of IMRA procedures;(6) regulatory requirements, including Texas Government Code, §572.051 (relating to Standards of Conduct), and Texas Penal Code, §36.02 (relating to Bribery); and(7) IMRA quality and suitability rubrics.(b) IMRA reviewers shall not accept meals, entertainment, gifts, or gratuities in any form from State Board of Education (SBOE) members; publishers, authors, or depositories; agents for publishers, authors, or depositories; any person who holds any official position with publishers, authors, depositories, or agents; or any person or organization interested in influencing the selection of instructional materials.(c) IMRA reviewers shall be afforded the opportunity to collaborate with other panel members during the official virtual and face-to-face reviews to discuss coverage of TEKS or TPG, errors, components, or any other aspect of instructional materials being evaluated. Reviewers shall not discuss with other reviewers of the panel the instructional materials being reviewed, except during official virtual and face-to-face reviews.(d) IMRA reviewers shall not discuss instructional materials being evaluated with a member of the SBOE, unions, organizations, or associations or with any party having a financial interest in the approval of instructional materials prior to the conclusion of the review. The review is considered to have concluded on the date that the final list of instructional materials recommended for approval is posted on the SBOE website.(e) SBOE members may attend review panel meetings but may not discuss materials under review with state review panel members.(f) IMRA reviewers shall observe a no-contact period that shall begin upon execution of their contract and end when they are released from their duties. During this period, IMRA reviewers shall not have direct or indirect communication with any person having an interest in the approval process regarding content of instructional materials under evaluation by the panel.(g) The restrictions in subsections (c)-(f) of this section are not intended to prohibit IMRA reviewers from providing public testimony to the SBOE either at a public hearing or in any regularly scheduled meeting in accordance with the SBOE Operating Rules, §2.12 (relating to Public Hearings).(h) IMRA reviewers shall report immediately to the commissioner of education and chair of the SBOE any communication or attempted communication by any person not officially involved in the review process regarding instructional materials being evaluated by the panel.