Pearland Independent School District trustees reviewed several bills passed in the 80th Texas Legislature during a June 10 discussion of public-education legislation, and asked district staff to prepare policy updates and communications for families.

Superintendent Dr. John Berger summarized the bills and their local implications. On Senate Bill 10 he said the statute "requires public schools to display a durable poster or a framed copy of the 10 commandments in each classroom," adding the posters must be donated but school boards may choose to purchase if they wish. On Senate Bill 11, Berger said the law "requires school boards to take a recorded vote on a resolution adopting a policy requiring every campus to provide a period of prayer or reading of the Bible or other religious text," with a recorded vote required by March 1, 2026.

Senate Bill 12, described by district staff as a broad "parental-rights" and omnibus education bill, includes a range of provisions the district must address: facility reporting (square footage, capacity and usage), prohibitions on assigning DEI duties (with narrow TEKS-based exceptions for standards-based instruction), new parent-notification and consent requirements, limits on district assistance for student social transitioning, a requirement to post course syllabi and instructional plans online, and opt-in rules for certain human sexuality instruction. "There are lots of things in it," Dr. Berger said, calling SB12 "an amalgamation of parent rights, communication, and restrictions that we now have to start rolling out."

On Senate Bill 13 (library materials), administration warned that local librarians'ability to order materials will be affected: proposed purchases must be posted for 30 days, a local library advisory council (board-appointed, majority noneducator) can review materials and recommend action, and challenged books are removed from circulation during review. Dr. Berger said the district will need to decide whether to proactively appoint local library advisory councils or wait for petitions from parents; trustees disagreed on whether proactive councils would reassure the public or signal a lack of confidence in librarians.

Board members asked for specifics: whether display requirements cover all instructional spaces, whether parents must sign consent forms for student participation in clubs, how the requirement for two in-person parent-teacher opportunities per year will be implemented, and how to balance the new posting and transparency requirements without overburdening teachers. Dr. Berger said the district will coordinate with legal counsel and TASB policy staff and will return with more-detailed recommendations and implementation timelines.

No formal board action was taken June 10; staff will draft policy revisions, communications and operational guidance tied to each bill and present them to the board for approval.