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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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Numerous new laws are set to hit Texas schools this year.
The Republican-dominated state legislature has advanced a number of pieces of legislation that will impact children living in the state.
Why It Matters
Texas operates nearly 9,100 public schools serving nearly 6 million students, making it the second-largest education system in the country.
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The laws will affect children across the state in a number of ways, from restricting their use of cell phones to requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments.
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What To Know
Pay Rises
House Bill 2 has increased pay by up to $8,000 for the most experienced teachers. It also offers raises to teachers who can demonstrate they have improved a student's academic performance and changes the way funding for special educational needs is allocated.
Cell Phones
Cell phones and other communication devices, such as smart watches, will be banned in Texas schools because of House Bill 1481, which received bipartisan support in both chambers. The enforcement of this will be down to individual school districts.
Ten Commandments
In May, the Texas House approved legislation requiring schools to post a 16-by-20-inch (41-by-51-centimeter) poster or framed copy of a specific English version of the commandments in every classroom.
This law is facing a lawsuit from campaign groups who argue that it discriminates against non-Christian students.
Another bill, Senate Bill 11, permits schools to introduce daily voluntary prayer and Bible reading for students, but only if they have a signed permission slip.
DEI Ban
Another bill eliminates DEI programs in K-12 schools. Under the bill, teachers will be banned from referring to students by a pronoun that doesn't match their assigned sex at birth, while programs based around race, gender identity, or sexuality in schools will also be banned. The bill, Senate Bill 12, also makes considering race, gender, or sexuality during recruitment illegal unless required by federal law.
In June, civil rights groups said they planned to file a lawsuit over the constitutionality of the legislation.
Library Materials
Under Senate Bill 13, parents and school boards will be able to challenge school library material and ban schools from having books with "indecent content or profane content."
Disciplinary Actions
Texas lawmakers have given schools more power to punish students with more—and longer—suspensions.
What People Are Saying
Vivek Datla, regional education policy fellow at the Intercultural Development Research Association, previously told Newsweek: "This was maybe the most consequential session for public education in the history of Texas, or certainly one of the most consequential sessions."
What Happens Next
Whether Texas passes more legislation specifically aimed at schools remains to be seen. Meanwhile, in September, other laws will also go into effect in Texas, spanning other themes, including a ban on local government funding for out-of-state abortions and property tax cuts.
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