The 2025-26 academic year is a week underway in Texas schools, but parents and students are still adapting to new laws passed by the state legislature.
The bevy of new legislation is part of changes in Texas education signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Cell phone ban
The Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1481 on June 20, and it was signed into law by Abbott. This law prohibits using cell phones, smartwatches, and other non-instructional communication devices during the school day in classrooms from kindergarten to 12th grade.
Specific exemptions were written into the legislation, including students with medical needs, special education accommodations, and those using district-issued devices for instructional purposes.
These exemptions will be enforced and accommodated by school districts across the state.
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Ten Commandments on display and ‘prayer time’
The Texas Senate voted 20-11 along party lines to pass a bill requiring schools to display the Ten Commandments.
SB 10, sponsored by Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, requires all public elementary and secondary schools to “display in a conspicuous place in each classroom of the school a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments.”
Another bill, SB 11, mandates prayer and Bible study time in public school classrooms.
DEI banned in schools
The Texas Legislature approved a bill that would ban diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and programs in public K-12 schools.
SB 12, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, prohibits school districts from considering race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation in hiring decisions.
The ban will also include training and programs on those topics unless they are required by federal law.
Parents must give written consent to allow their children to join any school clubs. They may file complaints if they believe schools are not following the DEI ban.
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Food additives banned
SB 314 was signed into law by Abbott on May 27. The law prohibits Texas school districts and open-enrollment charter schools from providing free or reduced-priced meals that contain any of 17 or more specified ingredients.
The prohibited ingredients are the FD&C colors Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2, Citrus Red Dye No. 3, Green Dye No. 3, Orange B, Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, and Yellow Dye No. 6, as well as brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, azodicarbonamide, butylated hydroxyanisole, ammonia caramel, sulfite ammonia caramel, titanium dioxide, and “any additive that is substantially similar” to one of the aforementioned ingredients.
The law is already in effect and will apply beginning with the 2026-2027 school year to contracts to provide food for free or reduced-priced meals entered into or renewed on or after Sept. 1, 2026.
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Here are new laws to know about for Texas schools for 2025-26
