DEPARTMENT NEWS
The Autism Circuit Academy (ACA) Fall 2025 cohort application opened June 15th and closes August 15th. The ACA has been redesigned to offer separate fall and spring cohorts. Participants will also have the option to enroll in both cohorts for a full year of training and coaching on evidence-based practices for students with autism. The ACA is free for educators across Texas who are employees of an LEA.
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) and the State Board of Education (SBOE) recently approved updated rules related to special education personnel assignments. 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 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 Core Content Competency Worksheet for Special Education Teachers of Record as specified in §231.701(d).
- Provide minor technical edits to §231.709 to align with naming conventions used in other subchapters for Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
- Establish a new §231.710 subsection that outlines certification requirements for an assignment of Teachers of Students who are Deafblind and the aligned SBEC-issued certificate.
A comprehensive FAQ document is now available and can be found on the Special Education Personnel Assignment webpage. Please submit any additional questions via this FAQ Submission Form.
The Special Education Early Childhood (EC) - 12 and Special Education Supplemental certificates are being replaced by the Special Education Specialist EC-12 certificate. The Special Education Specialist EC-12 exam 186 will replace both exams 161 and 163.
- The last date a candidate can test for the expiring exams is August 31, 2025.
- Candidates for certification in Special Education EC-12 or Special Education Supplemental must meet all requirements and submit a complete application by September 1, 2026.
- The last date a candidate can be recommended for certification by an educator preparation program (EPP) using passing scores on Exam 161 or 163 is September 1, 2026.
- The new exam 186 launches September 2, 2025.
Beginning September 2, 2026, the Special Education Specialist EC-12 will require a passing score on exam 186.
The 2024-2026 Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grants were awarded to 10 LEAs across Texas and have directly impacted 32 LEAs due to many grantees collaborating across multiple LEAs. The purpose of this grant is to increase LEAs' capacity to implement innovative programs that effectively serve students with autism ages 3-21. This project will result in effective, scalable models that can be replicated in other areas of the state. Read about the impact this grant has had on Bastrop ISD.
"The TEA Innovative Services for Students with Autism Grant has proven to be an invaluable asset to Bastrop ISD and, most importantly, to our students with autism and their families. This grant has been instrumental in ensuring that children across the district, from Pre-K through 18+, receive services grounded in the latest evidence-based practices within the field of autism spectrum disorder.
The impact of this funding extends far beyond the classroom. The introduction of parent engagement events, such as the welcoming Coffee Connections and the inclusive sensory movie days, has created vital opportunities for families to connect, share experiences, and build a strong sense of community and mutual support. These initiatives foster relationships among caregivers, reducing feelings of isolation and empowering them with a network of understanding peers.
The grant has also enabled Bastrop ISD to acquire essential resources that directly enhance the learning environment and therapeutic interventions for our students. From sensory supplies that aid in self-regulation to classroom dividers that facilitate focused independent work and Discrete Trial Training (DTT), these materials are making a tangible difference in the daily lives and educational progress of our students."
This TEA Learn course has been updated.
This course provides best practices for ARD committee managers for LEAs that choose to use this model. Other common job titles for this position include ARD Committee Facilitator, ARD Committee Chair, and Child-Centered Process Liaison. Position titles may vary from one LEA to another.
An ARD committee manager is a staff member who facilitates or leads ARD committee meetings and helps meet local, state, and federal guidelines for students being considered for or receiving special education and related services.
An ARD committee manager's roles and responsibilities typically include:
- Scheduling and mailing notices for ARD committee meetings.
- Gathering relevant student data, such as, grades, attendance, behavior reports, progress monitoring data, universal screening results, previous and current evaluation reports.
- Preparing and finalizing required ARD committee paperwork.
- Facilitating the ARD committee meeting.
- Sending completed Individualized Education Program (IEP) documents to the parents or guardians and archiving in accordance with LEA procedures.
- Supporting families and school personnel with special education questions.
- Assisting classroom teachers with understanding and documenting the receipt of students’ IEP paperwork.
- Complying with requirements established by federal and state law, state board of education (SBOE) rules, local board policies, and special education operating procedures.
This course is intended to provide information, guidance, and best practice for successfully achieving these expectations.
Ready to design more accessible learning environments for all students? The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Professional Development Series offers five self-paced, online courses that explore the UDL framework in depth—covering its principles, checkpoints, and practical applications.
Want to learn with others? Courses 3–5 are also available as live sessions at your local Education Service Center (ESC).
Start your UDL journey today and empower every learner!
- A new clarification has been added to the State Performance Plan Indicator (SPPI) 1 Graduation Rate webpage. It now includes the definition of a regular high school diploma as it applies to SPPI 1 reporting. This definition aligns with federal guidelines and ensures consistency in how graduation data is reported.
- The SPPI 13 Secondary Transition webpage has been updated to provide a clearer distinction between federal and state transition requirements. While Texas law mandates that transition planning begin at age 14, federal reporting for SPPI 13 includes only students aged 16 and older.
- A new section has been added to the RDA Documentation webpage titled “Historical RDA Documents”. This section provides access to archived RDA materials, offering valuable context and reference for LEAs reviewing past performance.
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Data notes have been added to the LEA Public Reporting webpage. These notes clarify that the SPPI 11, 12, and 13 data submitted to the federal government represent pre-clarification data. This ensures alignment and consistency with federal reporting requirements for the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) submission. Additionally, these data notes are also available on the respective report pages for SPPI 11, 12, and 13, providing direct context for users reviewing those indicators.
The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) is a multi-year plan to improve outcomes for children with disabilities. Texas' current plan focuses on enhancing reading proficiency among students with disabilities in grades 4, 8, and high school, as measured by performance on state reading assessments aligned with grade-level standards, including accommodations.
The TEA provides resources to improve reading outcomes for children with disabilities on the Texas SPED Support website, which features a library of online courses, conferences, high-quality guidance documents, tools, templates, and videos.
Resources include:
Reading Instruction: Elementary - The training focuses on the essential practices of universal (Tier 1), targeted (Tier 2), and intensive (Tier 3) reading interventions, emphasizing how these tiers function together to promote student success.
Odell Texas High School Literacy Program Grades 9-12 – This guide provides multiple ways to approach and plan for the provision of specially designed instruction (SDI) and presents multiple lenses through which readers can examine the connections between the tools and content in Odell Texas High School Literacy Program and the components of SDI.
Texas Dyslexia Academy (TDA) 1: Foundations – This course provides foundational information about how students acquire reading skills, why some students struggle in reading, what dyslexia is, and warning signs that dyslexia may be causing a student’s reading difficulties. Participants may take this course online on TEAlearn.com or in person, by finding a trainer at their regional education service center.
The State Board of Education (SBOE) is accepting public comment for the second cycle of materials submitted through the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process. This cycle reflects the SBOE’s ongoing commitment to providing Texas educators and students with high-quality instructional resources.
The IMRA process was established by the Texas Legislature through House Bill 1605 (88th Regular Session) to direct the SBOE to evaluate and approve high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) that support all learners and provide implementation support for teachers. The IMRA process is also designed to promote transparency and public input in the review and approval process of these materials.
The materials under review for IMRA Cycle 2025 include a wide range of K-12 options developed to meet the needs of Texas classrooms. This year, supplemental math products will be part of the over 300 products for review from 34 unique publishers, including:
- K–6 full-subject, tier-one English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) and Spanish Language Arts and Reading (SLAR)
- K–3 partial-subject, tier-one English and Spanish phonics
- K–12 full-subject and supplemental tier-one Mathematics
The public is encouraged to view the posted instructional materials, submit written comments, report suspected factual errors and flag any suitability concerns they may have with the products. The public comment period ends Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Publishers are required to respond to public comments submitted before the deadline. Comments received after the deadline will be shared with SBOE members to support their decision–making but are not subject to a response from the publisher. All feedback will be reviewed alongside findings from the professional review teams at upcoming SBOE meetings.
In addition, the SBOE will hold a public hearing to give the public an opportunity to provide oral testimony about the materials under review for IMRA Cycle 2025. The list of materials will be voted on by the board at the November meeting.
To see the materials submitted for review and to access comment forms and SBOE-approved IMRA rubrics, the public can visit sboe.texas.gov/imra.
Aligned! 2025: From Child Find to IEP Implementation Conference which is held on July 30-31, 2025, is open for registration. Join education professionals from across the state for this exciting FREE virtual conference as we explore child find, evaluation, ARD supports, transition, and early childhood special education (ECSE) topics. The Aligned! 2025: From Child Find to IEP Implementation conference provides expertise, best practices, and networking supports to assist public school district and charter schools. Participants can earn up to 12 continuing education units (CEUs)!
Intended Audience:
- Administrators
- ARD committee managers/facilitators
- Dyslexia specialists and teachers, including providers of dyslexia instruction
- ECSE specialists and teachers
- Educational Diagnosticians
- School Psychologists
- Special Education Teachers
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Transition specialists and teachers
We are always looking for ways to connect with our partners in the field!
From site visits, to review opportunities, to 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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