Texas Public School Curriculum Changes: What Just Happened and What’s to Come

The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) recently approved two massive changes to the Texas public school curriculum. As both a mom of young children and a relatively new but impassioned public school employee, I have followed the story quite closely. Outside of digging through dense agendas and proposals, it’s nearly impossible to find a singular, unbiased source of information on the subject.

I would like that to change. In the following post, I make no attempt to persuade, argue, or even discuss opinions or belief systems. Here, I aim to provide facts, context, and considerations for you and your family as we all experience history in the making.

Texas State Board of Education June 2026 Session

During its historic June 2026 session, the SBOE approved, two highly polarizing changes to Texas public schools: a shiny new mandatory reading list (K-12) and a restructured social studies curriculum (K-8). The changes comply with recent state legislation and will roll out over several years, with 100% implementation by the 2030-2031 school year.

Now that is a very oversimplified snapshot of a very spicy topic, and many, many feelings are triggered. So, before I say anything more about it, I invite you to pause and breathe with me. Repeat as needed.

*Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.*

There. That’s a little better. Okay, let’s dive back in and de-spice the heated headlines a bit.

I’ll start with a summary of what just happened.

What Exactly the Texas SBOE Approved

The board voted to adjust the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKs) requirements by integrating more Christian bible teachings into both the reading and social studies curriculums for public schools, citing that these teachings are foundational to American history. Here’s a quick(ish) glance of what’s new and what’s different:

*NEW* Mandated Reading List & Bible Lessons, K-12
For the first time in modern state history, the SBOE is enforcing a legally binding, 200-text master reading list. The new mandatory reading list – poems, essays, excerpts, books – includes several biblical stories and narratives prioritizing Western civilization, European traditions, and early American history.

*DIFFERENT* Social Studies Curriculum, K-8
Social studies/history will be taught chronologically across grades K-8, beginning with prehistory-500 CE in 3rd grade and ending with modern history in 7th grade and Texas history in 8th, effectively eliminating the current 6th-grade World Cultures course. The chronological timeline, in conjunction with the new reading list, places the focus on western civilization and traditions, including how Enlightenment principles and Judeo-Christian values shaped the Texas Constitution. Certain language, as it pertains to civil rights and historical injustices, will be altered.

What about High School History? Pending. The SBOE postponed voting on high school history subjects in June and is expected to vote during or before their September meeting. The proposals for high school history (see 19 TAC Chapter 113, subchapter C) align with the themes of the K-8 changes (mandatory biblical story integration, emphasis on American exceptionalism), reframe civil rights and alternative faiths, and add age-appropriate anti-Communist ideology.

The Bluebonnet Learning Curriculum – Is It Mandatory?

It is not.

With the recent vote taking up a lot of news space, you may have also heard chatter for or against the state’s Bluebonnet Learning Curriculum (or are already familiar with it because your school was part of the early-adoption program during the 2025-2026 school year). The Bluebonnet curriculum is state-owned, directly follows the required learning standards and will accommodate the latest mandates. Districts, like Houston ISD, are making moves to adopt it now.

Again, it is not mandatory in Texas public schools, nor is it the only state-endorsed option for school districts — it is, however, the one with the most financial incentive and a failsafe for aligning instruction with state testing. If you would like to know which instructional materials your school has selected for the upcoming school year, check with your district. To research other approved instructional materials, go here.

Parental Rights

What rights do you have regarding the 2030-2031 curriculum change? No matter where you stand, you have options. Several are backed by the Texas Education Code Chapter 26: Parental Rights and Responsibilities, including steps you can take right now in 2026.

Your Rights – Right Now

1. Watch any of the videos from the June session here. If you are looking for a specific segment, a Google search can find it for you.
2. Read the SBOE agenda from their June meeting. It is dense, yes, but it is plain text. Utilize Ctrl + F as needed. (The official minutes will not be available until they approve them at their next meeting.)
3. Follow the SBOE. Contact your representative directly; check for future meetings, review their agendas when available, and catch the next official public comment window. The majority of the High School History curriculum changes are still pending a vote, and a public comment window will open mid- to late-July.
4. Attend school board meetings. Sign up for public comment and urge the trustees to adopt instructional materials that align with your educational values and reject ones that don’t. See if your school has a review committee for instructional materials and apply if interested.
5. Run or vote in SBOE and Board Elections. 2030 is multiple election cycles away.
6. Consider alternative educational settings. Texas law guarantees your right to select a different school environment for your child that more closely aligns with your educational values.

Your Rights – Later

1. Review classroom materials when available. You are legally entitled access to teaching materials, tests, and online portals used in your child’s classroom. Request the information you want, plan ahead, and guide your child’s understanding of the material.
2. If you have any concerns, request a parent-initiated instructional material review from the school board. Check with your district on the process.
3. If you don’t believe a review is necessary, but do not want your child involved in a specific lesson, under the Texas Education Code, a parent has the legal right to remove their child from any specific classroom activity that conflicts with their beliefs. Submit a written request to your school principal. The school is legally required to honor it without academic penalty. Keep in mind: Students will still be tested on the state standards even if they opt out of the instruction.

Other Considerations

Consider the timeline. What age/grade will your child be when the changes roll out? You may or may not be deeply impacted. I feel selfish even suggesting such an attitude, but I also know the capacity to fight for more than your own family’s education has its practical limits.

And although the changes were approved, nothing is ever 100% guaranteed to go according to plan. A lot can happen between now and 2030.