Among the laws are a requirement to place the Ten Commandments in classrooms and changes to school lunch.
By Sarah Bahari
Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer
Texas public schools will navigate a slate of new state laws this school year.
State legislators passed hundreds of new laws related to education this year, from a ban on cellphones in schools to a ban on school-sponsored LGBTQ clubs.
Here’s a look at some of the notable education laws as thousands of students return to school this week across North Texas.
Cellphone ban. A new law prohibits students from using cellphones and other personal electronic devices at school. Texas school districts will have 90 days to adopt and enforce new policies on how cellphones will be restricted or stored on campus. State leaders say the new law is meant to reduce distractions in the classroom and improve academic performance and student well-being.
Ten Commandments. Public schools will be required to display a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in each classroom. Displays must be at least 16 by 20 inches. The law has already sparked a flurry of legal challenges from groups who say it is unconstitutional.
Prayer in schools. Public school districts can adopt policies requiring campuses to set aside time for students and staff to pray or read a religious text. Opponents argued the law crosses a line between church and state and encroaches on religious freedom.
DEI and student clubs. School-sponsored LGBTQ clubs are prohibited under Senate Bill 12, which bans student organizations based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The law also bans diversity, equity and inclusion policies and programs in public K-12 schools. Legislators already banned DEI in public universities and colleges in 2023. The law is facing legal challenges from groups who argue it violates freedom of speech.
Discipline. A new law will give schools more flexibility in how they punish students for misbehavior. For example, it will be easier to suspend younger students and those experiencing homelessness. Schools will also be able to send children to in-school suspension for unlimited periods of time. Campus leaders will get more discretion in how they punish children who bring an e-cigarette to school. Previously, if a student was caught vaping, they were required to serve a stint at an off-campus disciplinary alternative school.
School libraries. School boards and parents, not school librarians, will have final say over what materials are allowed in some school libraries. Under Senate Bill 13, schools must create a school library advisory council to approve and remove books if 50 parents or 10% of parents, whichever is less, request one.
School lunches. A new law bans certain additives in free or reduced lunches and the breakfast program. Banned additives are brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, azodicarbonamide, butylated hydroxyanisole, red dye 3 and titanium dioxide. Lawmakers said the additives can pose long-term health risks and contribute to childhood obesity and metabolic disorders.
Financial literacy. Texas high school students will be required to take at least one semester of personal financial literacy starting in the 2026-27 school year.
Private school vouchers. Texas families will be able to access public money to pay for private school through a new school-choice program. Senate Bill 2 allows parents to apply for an Education Savings Account to pay for private school costs, such as tuition, uniforms, meals and other educational materials. The program’s budget is capped at $1 billion through 2027, but its costs could exceed $4 billion a year in 2030, according to an estimate by the legislative budget board. Funds will be available beginning in the 2026-27 school year.
Public school funding. Public schools will get a record-breaking $8.5 billion in new funds to pay for teacher raises, educator preparation, special education, early childhood learning, safety improvements and soaring costs for utilities, buses and insurance.
By Sarah Bahari
Sarah Bahari is a trending news reporter. She previously worked as a writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she covered a bit of everything. She is a graduate of Kansas State University.
This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.
