Colorado district will eliminate Bible-based content in new reading curriculum, officials say

A small school district in southwestern Colorado plans to remove or modify any religious content from its new elementary reading curriculum, the superintendent announced in an open letter to parents, staff, and community members. The Montezuma-Cortez district, which serves 2,200 students, selected the Bluebonnet reading curriculum, developed by the state of Texas, after adopting a school improvement model from the Houston school district.

The Bluebonnet curriculum contains some lessons based on the Bible, which has raised concerns from advocates of church-state separation and some parents and religious scholars. Montezuma-Cortez administrators chose the Bluebonnet curriculum because it aligns with Colorado academic standards and will facilitate the implementation of the New Education System model in the district.

The model, which emphasizes teacher-led instruction, student engagement, and teacher and principal training, resulted in significant gains in Houston schools using it. Montezuma-Cortez officials scheduled a special school board meeting to adopt the Bluebonnet curriculum, but the board had not voted on it before the new school year started.

The district aims to align its reading instruction with Colorado academic standards and avoid religious content while adopting the Houston model.