UPDATED June 29 to reflect the Texas State Board of Education’s final vote.
After actively considering a controversial proposal requiring public school students to read specific religious stories and passages from the Christian Bible, the Texas State Board of Education approved the curriculum during its June 26 meeting.
The board gave preliminary approval in April to a reading list with Bible passages, voting 9-5 to approve the list, and is expected to take a final vote on the reading list during its June 22-26 meeting in Austin. The board previously approved a Bible-based curriculum that is optional for schools to incorporate in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The proposed reading list includes 13 biblical readings, drawing primarily from the Books of Luke, Genesis, Matthew, and more. The religious excerpts are part of nearly 200 passages that could become required reading in kindergarten through high school. The list does not include central texts from other religions
The reading list would be required for Texas public school students starting with the 2030-2031 academic year. Voting on the proposal followed after the board heard public testimony Monday during its Austin meeting. On Tuesday, the board removed multiple texts from the reading list, including several titles from elementary school grades.
Over 300 texts have been cut from the version proposed in January, including seven Bible lessons, children’s books, and texts from authors such as Mary Shelley and Booker T. Washington.
The list predominantly uses the King James translation of the Bible for both the Old and New Testament, and divides biblical texts by grade, with first graders reading the story of Noah’s Ark, second graders reading the story of David and Goliath, and more. Other translations on the list include the English Standard Version and the New International Reader’s Version.
High schoolers will read from the parable of the prodigal son, as well as the definition of love described in 1 Corinthians 13, and more.
The statewide reading list stems from House Bill 1605, a law requiring the Texas Education Agency to mandate specific literary works and vocabulary. The law requires only one literary work for every grade level. Under the proposed reading list, as many as two dozen texts may be required for some grade levels, significantly increasing text volume and instructional time.
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Proposed changes to social studies curriculum
This week, the board is also considering changing social studies standards to increase emphasis on the Christian Bible, along with Texas, U.S., and European history, over world cultures and geography. The state board adopted the new framework last year.
The framework focuses on teaching students in kindergarten through second grade about key figures, places, and events in U.S. and Texas history. The framework would also eliminate the sixth-grade World Cultures course and content related to the negative impact of race and ethnicity on people in society and the marginalization of minority groups.
Under the changes, students will receive a blend of U.S., Texas, and world history each year.
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