DEPARTMENT NEWS
LEAs who contract with nonpublic day and residential and non-district operated programs for special education services are required to notify the TEA of these placements, via the APEX application in TEAL, at the time of placement and annually for the duration of placement.
For the 2025-2026 school year, the APEX system will open on Tuesday, September 2nd. The beginning-of-year application deadline (for continuing placements, summer 2025 placements, and August 2025 placements) is Friday, October 3rd. For new nonpublic placements and changes of placement occurring after August 2025, applications or application revisions are due in APEX within 30 days of the placement or change of placement.
For questions about the nonpublic day and residential application, please email NPDayAndRes@tea.texas.gov
TEA in collaboration with their grantee will be providing training of trainers (TOTs) for ESC evaluation and standards-based individualized education program (SB IEP) trainers/coaches and dyslexia specialists on the Navigating the SB IEP Process for Students with Dyslexia synchronous course. Watch your ESC’s calendar for when this training will be offered in your region. This training applies the standards-based process for IEPs to developing present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) statements, writing annual goals, determining specially designed instruction (SDI), and progress monitoring goals for students with dyslexia. Case studies and examples are provided.
Tiered Interventions Using Evidence-Based Research (TIER) is an initiative funded by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to provide guidance and information about the Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework.
TIER has developed a Computational Fluency Progress-Monitoring System designed to track students’ computational fluency from kindergarten through grade 6. By using timed, curriculum-based measurements (CBM), this tool gives educators valuable data to monitor student growth in grade-level math standards and evaluate instructional impact.
This flexible system can be used individually, in small groups, or with an entire class. All materials are available in both English and Spanish.
The Progress Monitoring System includes:
- Administration and scoring instructions
- 20 assessment forms per grade level (English and Spanish)
- Teacher answer keys per grade level (for scoring both English and Spanish forms)
Use this system to support data-driven instruction and boost student success in math!
TIER has also developed a free progress monitoring tool to support data entry and generate graphs for students receiving interventions.
For a professional development opportunity in progress monitoring visit The Importance of Progress Monitoring page on the Texas SPED Support website. This workshop is designed to provide general information about progress monitoring within an MTSS framework.
The Texas Transition and Employment Guide provides information on statewide services and programs that assist in the transition to life outside the public school system for students enrolled in special education programs and their parents. The guide was recently revised and published on August 1, 2025. While the URL has not changed for the page where the guide and related resources are housed, you will notice significant changes to the page organization.
Explore the reorganized page to find the answers to the following questions:
Once you’re comfortable navigating the page, you can download the guide to find new chapters for Transportation and Technology, review the lists of skills and activities in Taking Action, and check out the information about the Post-School Outcomes survey.
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Get ready for Learning Ally’s Race to Read Competition, running from August 25 to November 7, 2025. This dynamic, school-wide challenge is designed to boost student reading and foster a love for learning across campuses. School systems currently enrolled in Learning Ally are automatically entered, with no registration needed.
Let’s Race to Read and make a difference in students’ lives!
Race to Read Guidelines and Directions
To help students get started with Learning Ally, use the Student Asynchronous Modules, which teach students how to use Learning Ally. The password is "audiobooks."
For educator free resources, including educator coaching sessions, PL and to connect to your District/School Account Manager, visit the Learning Ally Texas Landing Page.
TEA has partnered with Learning Ally to offer free access to human-read audiobooks for K-12 public schools and open enrollment charters. Educators can get started by enrolling for their free account through the Educator Access Form.
This newly updated resource provides key points, best practice tips, and example IEP statements for each of the 11 strategies required to be considered at least annually for students with autism eligible under §89.1040(c)(1).
This new resource is intended for transportation staff and includes information on how to support students with disabilities on the school bus. You will find information about supporting behavior on the school bus, disability characteristics, disability-specific support strategies, and examples of actions to take or avoid as transportation staff in support of students with disabilities.
During the February 2025 State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) meeting, the SBEC adopted rule amendments impacting 19 TAC Ch. 231, Subchapter F, Special Education-Related Services Personnel Assignments. Following the SBEC’s adoption, these rules were reviewed and approved during the State Board of Education’s (SBOE’s) April 2025 meeting and became effective May 18, 2025.
The updated 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 231, Subchapter F, §231.701 rules:
- Require all special education teachers to hold a valid special education certificate.
- Require special education teachers who are serving as teachers of record—regardless of instructional setting or context—to hold the appropriate, grade-banded content certification for each area they are assigned as teacher of record or meet requirements in the applicable section of the Texas Content Competency Worksheet for Special Education Teachers of Record.
Included as Figure 19 TAC §231.701(d), the Texas Content Competency Worksheet for Special Education Teachers of Record (Texas Worksheet) provides a flexible option for special education teachers of record who do not hold the aligned content certification appropriate for their placement(s) to meet updated rule requirements. While new Texas Worksheet replaces the HOUSSE framework and documentation, the overall function and structure of the Texas Worksheet are closely assigned. The new Texas Worksheet includes sections for:
- General Educator Information
- Educators Utilizing Previous Subject Matter Provisions (HOUSSE)
- Elementary and Secondary Special Education Teachers of Record
- First-Year Teachers and Secondary Teachers of Multiple Content Areas
- Administrator Assurances
- Appendix Information
Note: Special Education Teachers of Record who hold the appropriate content certification will not utilize the Texas Worksheet.
Please refer to the updated Special Education Personnel Assignment Guidance page for additional implementation resources, including:
- Chapter 231 Special Education Personnel Assignment Rule Updates FAQ
- Chapter 231 Special Education Personnel Assignment Rule Update Webinar
- Chapter 231, Subchapter F Rule Updates Webinar: Texas Worksheet Scenarios
Please submit additional questions via the 231 FAQ Submission Form.
House Bill (HB) 2 was passed by the 89th Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Abbott on June 4, 2025. The bill established two separate certificate fee incentive structures for hard-to-staff areas. These certification reimbursement and fee waiver incentives reflect the first set of recommendations related to compensation from the Teacher Vacancy Task Force, established in 2022 by Governor Abbott, to examine teacher retention and recruitment challenges across Texas.
While many details of HB 2 implementation are still being refined, the information linked below is being provided to support immediate decision-making for school systems related to recruitment and support communication for the 2025-2026 school year.
We are always looking for ways to connect with our partners in the field!
Whether through site visits, collaborative review opportunities, or focus groups, there are numerous ways to connect with TEA and support the field of education. If you are interested in participating in engagement opportunities, sign up by clicking the button below.
Each year the TEA invites groups of Texas educators to provide feedback on the development of state assessments (STAAR, STAAR Alternate 2, and TELPAS) through educator committees across all assessed grades and content areas. Developing high-quality, aligned questions relies on the expertise and experience of Texas educators. Participants collaborate with other educators from across the state to review and approve each potential question for state assessments. TEA is currently accepting applications from all districts to participate in item review committees all subjects and grade levels.
If you know of any educators (including yourself!) who might be interested in participating in these review meetings, please encourage them to apply using the link below. Meetings are typically held during the spring and summer. If selected, an invite will be sent with all the logistical information.
The commitment is generally two to three days in Austin with all travel, accommodations, and substitute coverage paid for by TEA. All participants will earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
TEA is looking to grow its pool of qualified monitors and conservators to help the state’s school districts and charter networks remedy issues related to governance, accreditation, academic performance, financial accountability, or other special investigations. Monitors, conservators, and management teams provide leadership, guidance, and support to school systems working to overcome historical systemic challenges and operate effectively and sustainably to improve student outcomes. Monitors and conservators are appointed, as needed, by the Commissioner of Education.
If you are interested and would like access to the job description, would like to recommend a colleague, or apply for a monitor and conservator appointment by the commissioner, please visit www.tea.texas.gov/mc-appointments for more information.
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