Round Rock ISD is considering adjustments to the controversial reading and language arts curriculum provided by the Texas Education Agency ahead of the 2025-26 school year.
What you need to know
RRISD’s Dec. 16 news release states that district administrators are considering how to implement the new curriculum, Bluebonnet Learning. As previously reported by Community Impact, Bluebonnet will replace the Amplify, Carnegie and Eureka curricula for elementary school level language arts and reading, kindergarten through eighth grade math, and Algebra 1.
The new materials were approved by the State Board of Education in November, but not without debate among school board members. As Community Impact previously reported, critics argue that incorporating Bible stories into the curriculum is inappropriate for public schools and could isolate students with different religious beliefs. , proponents of the curriculum argue that it helps close the achievement gap among students and eases the burden on teachers.
What are the options?
Districts are able to modify Bluebonnet learning materials to suit their needs, and RRISD administrators are considering how best to modify the reading and language arts curriculum to suit students within the district.
According to the release, the changes may include removing Bible-based lessons and activities or increasing the overall diversity of characters and content in the stories covered.
The district said the math curriculum does not include examples from Christianity.
In a release, it said the district will implement the math curriculum in phases starting with second, third, seventh and eighth grades in the 2025-2026 school year.
What parents should know
School districts also receive additional financial assistance to purchase learning materials. For school districts that choose to implement the curriculum, the amount of funding provided per student to purchase and print the curriculum has been increased by $60 per student. School districts currently receive about $171 per student to purchase textbooks.
Why now?
A December release from the district clarified the district’s position on the new curriculum, saying its inclusion of Biblical and Christian-based stories had caused confusion and controversy among district families and staff. It states that
What’s next?
The district board is considering potential changes to the literary elements of the curriculum and will provide recommended modifications to ensure the curriculum is inclusive and representative of the RRISD community, according to the release.
