Board of Education Approves Bible Stories as Required Reading for Millions of Public-School Students!
In a closely watched 9-5 vote on June 26, 2026, the Texas State Board of Education approved a new state-mandated reading list for K-12 English and language arts classes that includes specific Bible stories and passages.
The decision affects more than 5 million public school students and marks one of the most significant state-level efforts to integrate biblical texts into public education in recent decades.
The approved list, which contains roughly 200 literary works total, requires students to read at least one designated text per grade level. Among the selections are picture-book adaptations of stories such as David and Goliath and Daniel and the Lion’s Den for elementary grades, passages about Adam and Eve for older elementary students, “The Shepherd’s Psalm” (Psalm 23) for sixth grade, and New Testament excerpts—including teachings from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and instructions to “seek first the kingdom of God”—for middle school. High school students will encounter biblical passages used to illuminate classic works by authors such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. Certain selections specify the King James Version.
Implementation will be staggered, with changes beginning in the 2030–2031 school year. The texts are framed as literature and cultural touchstones rather than devotional material. Supporters argue this approach provides essential background knowledge for understanding Western literature, historical documents, speeches, and the moral vocabulary that has shaped American civic life.
Board members and advocates emphasized that the Bible’s influence on art, law, philosophy, and language is so pervasive that students cannot fully grasp the Western canon without it. They also noted that the existing Texas education code already calls for teaching the impact of religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, on history and culture.
The vote builds on prior Texas actions, including a 2023 law requiring approved literary works per grade, financial incentives for an optional Bible-infused elementary curriculum (Bluebonnet Learning), requirements to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, and authorization for chaplains to counsel students.
Proponents view the inclusion as a restoration of foundational texts that convey timeless lessons on human nature, virtue, resilience, and responsibility. They contend it strengthens cultural literacy and may even improve reading engagement by connecting students to stories that have endured for millennia.
Critics, including some board members, educators, and religious leaders, argue the mandate favors one religious tradition in a state whose public schools serve an increasingly diverse population.
Roughly one-third of Texas adults identify as non-Christian. Opponents raise First Amendment concerns, warning that requiring biblical texts in the core curriculum risks crossing the line from academic study of religion to state endorsement of Christianity.
They also question the reduction in teacher and local district autonomy over reading selections and worry about how students from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, atheist, or other backgrounds will experience the material. Some note that parents retain opt-out rights, but question whether opting out of required texts could affect grades or test performance.
Legal challenges are widely expected, as the decision tests current boundaries around religion in public schools.
For millions of Texas families, the full effects will unfold over the coming decade.