The Texas State Board of Education has approved a new required reading list that includes selected passages from the Bible, making them part of the literature curriculum for students in the state’s public schools.

The Republican-controlled board voted 9-5-1 on Friday to adopt the updated reading requirements, following discussions that focused on implementation, curriculum planning and the role of teachers in selecting classroom materials.

Under the new standards, fifth-grade students will study excerpts from the Book of Exodus, while seventh graders will read The Shepherd’s Psalm. The approved curriculum also includes a range of classic literary works by well-known authors.

Among the writers featured on the reading list are E. B. White, Shel Silverstein, Aesop, Kurt Vonnegut and Elie Wiesel.

The revised curriculum will affect more than five million students enrolled in Texas public schools, making it one of the most significant changes to reading requirements in the state in recent years.

Board members debated several aspects of the proposal before the vote, including how quickly the new reading list should be introduced and the degree of flexibility teachers should have in presenting the required texts.

Ahead of the vote, Republican board member Julie Pickren said the inclusion of biblical passages is intended to help students better understand the historical and cultural foundations of Western civilization.

She told The Texas Tribune that the selected readings are designed to provide students with “important insight into the moral and philosophical traditions that have shaped Western civilization.”

Supporters argue that the updated curriculum offers valuable historical and literary context, while critics have raised concerns about the role of religious texts in public education.

The decision is expected to spark continued debate as school districts across Texas prepare to implement the new reading requirements.