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Paxton Greenlights SBOE’s Adoption of Religious Literature Instruction

Composite image: Pixabay/TexEdNews

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today (Nov. 17, 2025) issued AG Opinion KP-0503 — concluding that under 2007 legislation (HB1287):

  • The State Board of Education (SBOE) must adopt rules identifying the Texas essential knowledge and skills (TEKS) for religious literature — and school districts must offer compliant instruction in the same.
  • The SBOE may implement the religious literature TEKS through instructional integration with other courses or, where appropriate, in a standalone course.
Background

The opinion answers questions in the opinion request submitted by SBOE Chair Aaron Kinsey, R-Midland (article).

Although the SBOE has not formally adopted a TEKS specific curriculum on this topic, the board (several years ago) approved requirements for ISDs and charters to follow if they choose to offer the course in grades 9 or above — or to incorporate the specific religious literature topics into other courses.

A 2008 opinion (GA0657) — by then AG Greg Abbott — clarifies that although the 2007 legislation does not require every school district to offer the elective course, districts offering the course must comply with SBOE approved guidelines and other requirements.