DEPARTMENT NEWS
On March 1, 2026, the SPP Application will be fully decommissioned and removed from TEAL.
Currently, the SPP TEAL application houses historic data for:
- SPPI 7 and SPPI 13: 2020–21 through 2023–24
- SPPI 11 and SPPI 12: 2018–19 through 2020–21
Local educational agencies (LEAs) should download any historic data needed prior to March 1, 2026. Reports can be generated using the Reports tab on the application’s main page. In addition, SPPI 7 and SPPI 13 include a print function on the Campus Admin screen, while SPPI 11 and SPPI 12 include a print function on the Data Entry screen.
After March 1st, data may be requested through a public information request (PIR).
The Parent-Directed Special Education Services (PDSES) program provides a one-time $1,500 online grant to parents/guardians of eligible students. Parents/guardians who apply can receive an online account where they shop for educational goods and services.
To be eligible for a PDSES grant, students must:
- be currently enrolled in a Texas public school (grades EE-12th),
- receive special education services through an individualized education program (IEP), and
- have NOT received a PDSES grant in the past – PDSES is a one-time only grant.
This school year’s PDSES application opens on April 1, 2026, at 8:00am CST and closes on April 30, 2026, at 5:00pm CST.
For more information about the PDSES program, visit: PDSES.TEA.TEXAS.GOV.
Outreach resources can also be found in multiple languages on the PDSES Outreach Materials webpage.
LEAs seem to receive more special education referrals for initial evaluations during the spring semester of every school year. This Quick Guide reminds LEAs of compliance requirements and best practices addressing procedures for receiving referrals for an initial evaluation to determine if a student has a disability and needs special education and related services. Resources are provided for further information.
Looking to strengthen your campus’ implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)? Check out the PBIS Across the Tiers resource — a clear, user‑friendly overview of best practices at Tiers 1, 2, and 3. This tool helps administrators, teachers, and interventionists to facilitate planning and fidelity monitoring of PBIS practices.
This resource is designed to accompany the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports training. To get the most out of this tool, we encourage staff to complete the training first.
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Enroll in the synchronous course by contacting your regional MTSS specialist who can also assist with implementation support.
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Prefer self‑paced learning? Access the asynchronous PBIS course anytime through the Texas SPED Support website.
The Mathematics Intervention Academy and Reading Intervention Academy, referred to collectively as the Intervention Academies, were passed under Texas House Bill 2 by the 89th Texas Legislature in 2025. The Intervention Academies provide specialized professional learning in math and reading for educators working with K–8 students needing additional support in these content areas. The Intervention Academies are built on evidence-based practices stemming from the Tiered Interventions Using Evidence-Based Research (TIER) initiative, supported by the Texas Education Agency, and additional sources. The Intervention Academies equip educators providing intervention at Tiers 1, 2, and 3 with practical strategies to strengthen foundational skills and accelerate student learning. They also provide administrators with systems-level knowledge and skills needed to support implementation, build coherence across campuses, and sustain effective interventions over time.
The Intervention Academies ensure that staff are prepared to intervene early and effectively, helping to close achievement gaps before they widen.
The goal is simple: equip educators with the tools they need to make the biggest difference for students who need it most.
Interested in participating in the pilot year? Reach out to InterventionAcademies@meadowscenter.org for more information.
Ensure your students stay engaged during school breaks this spring using your TEA-funded Learning Ally Audiobook Solution. Equip yourself to prevent the "spring slide" by joining a virtual Texas Educator Coaching Session offered from February 26 through April 2 to ensure you are fully prepared to keep literacy alive this spring.
The Bonus: All attendees receive an exclusive spring break themed, clickable book list! This clickable resource makes it easy to restock your students’ digital bookshelves before they head out for break.
Need an account? Hurry and sign up for your free educator account via the Educator Access Form today!
Meaningful Access for Administrators is a face-to-face course that engages administrators in interactive discussions, real-world examples, and collaborative planning to
- Deepen understanding of TEA’s definition of Meaningful Access and why it matters for student success.
- Explore how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) work together to remove barriers and support all learners.
- Learn practical strategies for building collaborative teaching models and structuring schedules that make co-planning and co-teaching possible.
- Identify leadership actions that create systems for sustainable implementation—from master scheduling and staffing to fostering collective teacher efficacy
This course empowers instructional leaders, specifically school and district administrators to not just meet compliance, but to transform school culture. Participants leave with actionable steps and resources to lead toward instructional excellence and meaningful access for every student. There are trainers available at every ESC across the state.
This workshop and other valuable resources can be found in the Instructional Leadership Tools Collection on Texas SPED Support.
Guiding Questions: The FAIR Test
This resource, developed by the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI), provides guiding questions to help you select the best intervention for your student or group of students that are feasible to implement, acceptable for stakeholders, show a potential for impact and are relevant in your context.
This resource is a companion to Three Circles of Evidence-based Decision Making to Support Students with Disabilities, which describes a process for collecting information and making decisions about interventions for students.
Free Online Learning
These online courses are intended to build educator and administrator knowledge with a focus on how to develop and implement high-quality educational programming for students with disabilities. These courses include a self-paced learning module, related resources, and a certificate of completion (available after completing the self-paced learning module). The courses are housed in the PROGRESS Center and National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) Learning Modules Library and include courses such as:
To access these courses, you will be asked to log in or create a free account.
High-Leverage Practices
Developed by the Council for Exceptional Children and the CEEDAR Center, high-leverage practices are 22 essential special education techniques that all teachers of students with disabilities should master for use across a variety of classroom contexts. Six of these practices are referred to as pillar practices—those most essential for educators to implement; and the remaining sixteen are embedded practices—those required to effectively support pillar practices.
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