Texas schools

The long-awaited vote survived objections from the panel's most right-leaning Republicans, who criticized the lessons as "un-American woke indoctrination."

The lawsuit says the law requiring public classrooms to display the Ten Commandments "unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, reverence, and adoption of the state's mandated religious scripture."

Parents with pre-K students are eligible to receive funds in the new education savings account program, marking an expansion of publicly funded early education. The public funds would be used to pay for pre-K tuition at private or community-based child care centers, if they qualify under Senate Bill 2.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 10, even though a similar Louisiana law was deemed unconstitutional. Supporters say Christianity is core to U.S. history.

The state agency said reading language arts scores surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Advocates say the bills will give parents more power over their children's schools. Critics say they don't give parents anything they didn't already have and will only strain their relationship with teachers.

Texas' Senate Bill 13 empowers school boards to decide which books are permitted in their school libraries. It also allows parents to submit a list of books their children are prohibited from checking out.

Shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice sued to block Texas from giving in-state tuition to immigrant students without legal status, state Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the two parties had filed a joint motion asking a court to permanently end the policy.

Senate Bill 13 would require school boards or advisory councils to approve new books and review complaints. In most cases only 50 parents' approval would be needed to create the oversight councils.

One of the most highly debated bills in Texas' 2025 legislative session has passed both chambers and heads to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. House Bill 2 provides $8.5 billion for the state's public school system.