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Critical performance reporting updates are shared through To The Administrator Addressed Correspondence (TAA) which are important messages of interest to school districts, charter schools, and regional education service centers. If you do not currently receive the weekly TAA email, you can Sign up to receive email notification when new letters are posted.
Calculation of High School Grade Point Average
The adopted rule, 19 TAC §74.3001, Computation of High School Grade Point Average, is now published and reflects requirements added by Senate Bill 1191, 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025. The rule identifies minimum requirements for school districts when computing a student's high school grade point average. The rule became effective on September 23, 2026, and was adopted with changes since published as proposed. The new rule will apply beginning with the cohort of students who enter grade 7 in the 2027–2028 school year.
The rule requires school districts to assign GPA weights in alignment with the following requirements:
- All Advanced Placement (AP) courses, International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, OnRamps dual enrollment courses, and non-career and technical education (CTE) dual credit courses receive weights that are equal to one another.
- CTE dual credit courses receive a weight that is less than the weight assigned to AP courses, IB courses, OnRamps dual enrollment courses, and non-CTE dual credit courses.
- Honors courses receive an additional weight that is determined locally if a school district offers honors courses.
For additional information please reference the To the Administrators Addressed Correspondence on Senate Bill 1191: Calculation of High School Grade Point Average.
Statewide Negotiated for College Preparation and Career Readiness Assessments
Under Texas Education Code (TEC), §§39.0261 and 48.155, and 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §74.1005, eligible high school students may choose and take one approved college preparation or career readiness assessment, with the cost paid by the state. A student must take the assessment between January of grade 11 and August 31 of the year after the student graduates.
Reimbursement is limited to the statewide negotiated rate for the standard SAT or ACT; both the reading and mathematics portions of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment; or the required assessments associated with WorkKeys, ACT’s career readiness assessment. Additional charges—including writing tests, subject-area tests, and late fees—are not eligible for reimbursement.
TEA released a Request for Proposals (RFP) calling for organizations to offer a uniform, statewide rate for a universally accepted, norm-referenced college preparation assessment and/or a career readiness assessment administered on a school day. As a result of the RFP, TEA awarded two ten-year contracts with the College Board for the SAT and with ACT Education Corp. for the ACT and WorkKeys. For statewide negotiated rates for 2027–2028 through 2035–2036, visit the House Bill 3: College Preparation Assessment Reimbursements webpage.
As a reminder, school systems cannot receive more than one reimbursement per student. TEA provides each district estimated funding annually for assessment reimbursement, which can be found in the Summary of School Finance Report (line 40). TEA will settle up with districts in the spring of the following fiscal year once all student assessment data is processed.For requirements, timelines, and application instructions, visit the House Bill 3: College Preparation Assessment Reimbursements webpage. For application assistance, contact TSIAReimbursements@tea.texas.gov.
2026–27 Required Reporting for Public Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Programs
The Early Childhood Data System (ECDS), a component of the Texas Student Data System (TSDS), supports statewide reporting of early childhood education data. All school districts and open-enrollment charter schools (school systems) are required to submit program information and student assessment data collected using commissioner-approved instruments for prekindergarten and kindergarten, in accordance with state law and the Texas Education Data Standards (TEDS).
School systems are strongly encouraged to begin the submission process early to allow time to resolve data issues before the January 28, 2027, deadline.
Data elements to be reported in the 2026–27 school year vary by type of program. Requirements for kindergarten and prekindergarten programs are outlined in the To the Administrators Addressed Correspondence on 2026–27 Required Reporting for Public Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Programs. Additional information about approved instruments is available on the TEA Data Tool Selection Guidance webpage.
Questions regarding high-quality prekindergarten components, kindergarten programs, or assessments should be sent through the Early Childhood Education Support Portal. Technical questions regarding ECDS submission should be submitted via the TSDS Incident Management System (TIMS) using a TEAL login.
Local Accountability System
The Local Accountability System (LAS) empowers school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to design local accountability plans for their campuses. A school system adopting a Local Accountability Plan develops its own custom version of an A – F rating methodology for their campuses.
A Local Accountability System offers several benefits, including:
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Detailed Performance Insights: Provide parents, families, and communities with comprehensive information about local school performance and progress.
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Transparent Communication: Communicate local priorities and your commitment to achieving them.
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Public Reporting: Highlight the importance of your local goals by publicly releasing LAS plans and ratings.
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Community-Focused Measurements: Measure what matters most to your community and integrate these components into your LAS plan.
Please see the link to register for the LAS Overview Webinars below. These webinars provide an overview of LAS and next steps if school districts and open-enrollment charter schools are interested in taking part in this initiative.
LAS Overview Webinar Dates and Registration Links:
As TEA continues to expand support for LAS implementation, the Local Accountability System (LAS) Planning Grant opportunity is being integrated into the LASO 5 suite of offerings. This alignment will provide participating school systems with funding to support the LAS planning and implementation process. Please see the LASO Webpage for additional details.
We encourage interested districts and charter schools to attend the webinar to learn more about available opportunities and how to get involved.
Resources Available:
Please visit our LAS website, which offers valuable information and tools to support community and stakeholder needs in developing a local accountability system.
For more information about the LAS, visit the TEA LAS website or contact us at las@tea.texas.gov.
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