The Texas State Board of Education has approved a new required reading list for public school students, mandating the inclusion of passages from the Bible across all grade levels. This move makes Texas the first state to establish a statewide literary program that includes specific Bible excerpts alongside classic works of literature. The decision was made with a 9-5 vote along party lines, affecting over five million public school students in the state. The new requirements are set to strengthen reading instruction and provide high-quality instructional materials.
The new requirements build on a law passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023, which directed the State Board of Education to identify required literary works for every grade level. The Board has created a comprehensive list of roughly 200 texts that schools must assign to students, including biblical passages such as Jonah and the Whale, David and Goliath, and Daniel and the Lion’s Den for early elementary school students. Teachers will be able to add materials but not substitute for or remove the state-mandated ones.
Examples of the required biblical passages for upper elementary students include The Necessity of Humility and selections from Exodus, while middle schoolers will read passages such as Do Not Be Anxious, The Shepherd’s Psalm, and The Eight Beatitudes. High school students will study The Parable of the Prodigal Son, extensive selections from the Book of Job, and The Definition of Love. These passages will be included alongside classics such as Charlotte’s Web, Great Expectations, and Shakespeare’s works.
The new requirements will be phased in beginning with the 2030-2031 school year for elementary students, with full rollout to middle and high school grades in subsequent years. This timeline gives districts and educators time to prepare the curriculum, acquire materials, and train teachers. Under existing law, parents will be able to request alternative assignments if a required text conflicts with their family’s beliefs, providing a measure of flexibility for families with differing values.
