Texas Poised to Mandate Bible Passages as Required Reading in Public Schools
Updated: Jun 27
Austin, Texas — On Friday, June 26, 2026, the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is expected to give final approval to a new statewide required reading list for K-12 public schools that includes selected Bible stories and passages, marking what education observers describe as a first-of-its-kind mandate in the United States.
The proposal, stemming from a 2023 law (HB 1605), requires the board to establish at least one literary work per grade level. The approved list expands far beyond that minimum, encompassing roughly 200 texts across grades, with about a dozen to 13 entries drawn directly from the Bible.
What Students Would Read in Texas:
The biblical selections treat the texts primarily as literary works. Examples include:
Elementary grades: Picture book adaptations such as “Noah’s Ark,” “David and Goliath,” and “Daniel and the Lion’s Den.”
Middle and high school: Passages like the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Beatitudes, selections from Psalms, the story of Jonah, Adam and Eve, and others. Specific translations include the English Standard Version, New International Reader’s Version, and King James Version.
These would sit alongside classics like Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and other secular literature. The list takes effect in the 2030-2031 school year if approved.
Background and Political Context in Texas:
HB 1605 aimed to improve reading instruction by providing clearer guidance and high-quality materials to teachers and districts. The SBOE, which holds a Republican majority, gave preliminary approval to the list in April 2026. Democrats on the board opposed it.
Supporters argue the inclusions reflect the Bible’s profound influence on Western literature, culture, and history, helping students better understand allusions in classic texts. Critics, including public education advocates, civil liberties groups, and some religious organizations, contend the mandate favors Protestant Christian perspectives, lacks sufficient diversity from other faiths or secular viewpoints, and risks violating the separation of church and state.
Legal challenges are widely anticipated, echoing long-standing debates over religion in public schools.
Broader Trends that could happen in Texas:
This move aligns with other recent Texas education policies, including allowances for Ten Commandments displays in classrooms and optional prayer periods. Nationally, it fits a pattern of Republican-led states expanding religious content in curricula, though Texas appears unique in creating a mandatory statewide literary list featuring Bible excerpts.
The debate has drawn intense public testimony, highlighting deep divisions over the role of religion, parental rights, and academic freedom in education.
Reaction from the public in Texas:
Conservative groups have praised the inclusion as restoring cultural literacy.
Opponents warn it could undermine religious freedom for non-Christian families and burden teachers.
As of the board’s Friday meeting, final passage was considered all but certain given the partisan makeup. The decision will affect more than 5 million Texas public school students.
This development is likely to fuel ongoing national conversations about curriculum content, church-state boundaries, and what students should be required to read in an increasingly diverse America.
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