Houston-area school boards reject daily prayer periods

Districts cite 'logistical nightmare' in implementing new state law

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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At least three Houston-area school districts have voted against establishing daily prayer periods for students and staff, as required by a new Texas law. Cypress-Fairbanks, Pearland, and Spring ISDs have all rejected the policy, citing difficulties in implementation, including finding appropriate spaces for prayer, getting parental consent, and accommodating different religions. The Houston ISD Board of Managers is also expected to vote against the policy. Only one Texas district, Keller ISD, has so far voted to create the daily prayer periods.

Why it matters

The new state law has faced pushback from school districts and faith leaders, who argue that mandating daily prayer periods could create unnecessary burdens on school administration and potential divisions among students based on their religious beliefs. The law's implementation also raises questions about how to equitably provide prayer spaces for students of different faiths.

The details

Senate Bill 11 requires Texas school boards to vote by March 1 on whether to establish a district-wide period of prayer and 'reading of the Bible or other religious text on each school day' for students and employees. Cy-Fair ISD's superintendent called the legislation 'political theater' and said the district could not implement the law with fidelity, citing logistical challenges such as finding confined prayer spaces at every campus, getting parental consent, and staffing the prayer periods before or after school hours.

  • School boards must vote on the policy by March 1, 2026.
  • Cy-Fair, Pearland, and Spring ISDs have already voted against implementing the daily prayer periods.

The players

Cypress-Fairbanks ISD

A large school district in the Houston area that has voted against establishing daily prayer periods.

Pearland ISD

A Houston-area school district that was the first to reject the state's requirement for daily prayer periods.

Spring ISD

A Houston-area school district that unanimously voted against creating designated prayer periods, citing logistical concerns.

Douglas Killian

The superintendent of Cy-Fair ISD, who called the state legislation 'political theater' and said the district could not implement it with fidelity.

Christine Kalmbach

A Cy-Fair ISD trustee who appreciated the 'spirit' of the law but voted against rejecting the policy, saying she needed more time to understand it.

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What they’re saying

“A lot of (districts) have just been kicking the can until the last minute because they're like, 'How are we going to do this?' It's just a logistical nightmare.”

— Douglas Killian, Superintendent, Cy-Fair ISD (Houston Chronicle)

“I appreciate the spirit of it. We always want people to be able to exercise their freedom to be religious and practice their faith. There's challenges with the physicality and how to implement that.”

— Christine Kalmbach, Trustee, Cy-Fair ISD (Houston Chronicle)

“I think more government oversight over something like freedom of religion is not where we want to be. And so I think we need to continue to emphasize that our students can practice religion as they see fit.”

— Crystal Carbone, Board President, Pearland ISD (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

The Houston ISD Board of Managers is expected to consider a resolution rejecting the daily prayer period policy at their meeting on Thursday.

The takeaway

The pushback from Houston-area school districts highlights the logistical challenges and potential for division that can arise from mandating daily prayer periods in public schools. The debate underscores the need to balance students' religious freedoms with the practical realities of implementation and the separation of church and state.