A new state law requiring Texas school boards to vote on whether to create designated prayer time during the school day is on the agenda in Fort Worth on Tuesday.
Fort Worth ISD staff is recommending the board vote no, because the district already has a policy allowing students to pray and engage in religious expression during the school day and on school property.
Senate Bill 11, passed during last year’s legislative session, requires Texas school boards to weigh a decision on creating a prayer policy by March 1. The bill, authored by Republican Sen. Phil King of Weatherford, said boards must vote on the issue, but they aren’t required to adopt it.
King also wrote the law requiring schools to hang the Ten Commandments in a “conspicuous place in each classroom of the school.” That legislation has been challenged by several lawsuits.
Fort Worth schools’ policy on prayer
Fort Worth ISD’s existing policy says “a public school student has an absolute right to individually, voluntarily, and silently pray or meditate in school in a manner that does not disrupt the instructional or other activities of the school. A student shall not be required or coerced to engage in or refrain from such prayer or meditation during any school activity.”
The policy also allows students to organize prayer groups and religious clubs or gatherings before, during and after the school day. A student’s religious viewpoint must be treated the same way as a student’s secular viewpoint, and district officials are barred from discriminating against a student based on their religious views.
The restrictions of a new policy, as outlined in Senate Bill 11, require parents to submit a consent form waiving their right to take legal action against the district in regards to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prevents the government from establishing a religion. Students must also engage in the prayer or reading outside the presence of a student who doesn’t have a signed consent form.
The Fort Worth ISD school board meets at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD will consider the same resolution during a Monday meeting at 5:30 p.m. The district’s administration is recommending the board not adopt the resolution, for the same reason as Fort Worth ISD.
“With the logistical complexities of determining the students that have approval from their parents and monitoring students to ensure the rules involving separation, etc. are not violated, the administration does not recommend that the Board adopt such a resolution,” staff wrote in agenda documents. “State law, federal law, and GCISD Board Policy allow students to engage in prayer, reading of religious text, and religious expression on school property and during the school day.”
In September, the Keller school board sparred over the issue before voting 4-3 in favor of the resolution
This story was originally published February 23, 2026 at 2:26 PM.
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Lina Ruiz covers early childhood education in Tarrant County and North Texas for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. A University of Florida graduate, she previously wrote about local government in South Florida for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers.