Consideration and Possible Action to Approve a Resolution Requiring Every Campus of the District to Provide Students and Employees with an Opportunity to Participate in a Period of Prayer and Reading of the Bible or Other Religious Text on Each School Day in Accordance with the Law Presenter: Rick Kirkpatrick Description: Texas Education Code §25.0823 was added by Senate Bill 11 in the 89th Regula

Staff Report & Agenda Item Details

IX.A. Consideration and Possible Action to Approve a Resolution Requiring Every Campus of the District to Provide Students and Employees with an Opportunity to Participate in a Period of Prayer and Reading of the Bible or Other Religious Text on Each School Day in Accordance with the Law Presenter: Rick Kirkpatrick Description: Texas Education Code §25.0823 was added by Senate Bill 11 in the 89th Regular Session of the 2025 Texas Legislature. The new statute allows a school board to adopt, by record vote on a prescribed resolution, a policy requiring every campus of the district to provide students and employees with an opportunity to participate in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text on each school day. Districts are not required by the new law to adopt this resolution, but they are required to have a record vote on the resolution. The deadline for a school board to take action on this item is March 1, 2026. Should the board approve the resolution, the District will update policy DGA(LOCAL) and FNA(LOCAL) to reflect the change. The attached TASB developed Frequently Asked Questions outlines the new law and the requirement for a board to take action prior to March 1. Current policy and state law already affirm that students have an absolute right to individually, voluntarily, and silently pray or meditate in school in a manner that does not disrupt the instructional or other activities of the school. Attachments: ( 2 ) Daily Period of Prayer and Reading of Bible or Other Religious Text 2/9/2026 at 1:59 PM SB 11 Resolution 2/9/2026 at 1:59 PM

This motion is scored as EXPANDS_GOVERNMENT (Impact Weight: 2.8/10). Under the Bastiat Liberty Watchdog Index, measures that increase tax rates or fee schedules, issue new debt or Certificates of Obligation, expand regulatory/zoning restrictions on private land use, or authorize unbudgeted spending expansions reduce an official's Freedom Score when voted YES (and reward dissenting NO votes).