More Information Released on Vouchers
The Texas Comptroller released a Disability Certification Form parents can take to licensed providers to obtain certification that their child has a disability. This form can be submitted by a parent with their TEFA application to gain priority in the TEFA lottery. Instructions for the certification form can be found here (https://educationfreedom.texas.gov/toolkit/).
Additional TEFA funding up to $30,000 can only be obtained with a current IEP or EFA IEP uploaded by public school districts to TEA. On Jan. 15, TEA released a To The Administrator Addressed (TAA) letter on school districts’ responsibilities to upload Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students whose parents communicate intent to participate in the TEFA program. A Jan. 20 webinar from TEA and associated slides and guidance further clarified that school districts are expected to upload IEPs for any child whose parent communicates their intent to apply for the TEFA by March 17.
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Children with current IEPs who were included in the Fall 2025 snapshot (as of Oct. 31, 2025) do not require any action, as TEA already has the necessary information.
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Districts will need to upload by March 17 the IEP of any public or private school child whose IEP was developed after Fall snapshot and whose parent communicates intent to apply for the TEFA program.
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If a child has an evaluation within three years old but an IEP more than one year old, districts have the option of creating an “Education Freedom Account IEP” or EFA IEP for that child to upload by March 17. Because there are no adopted rules for the EFA IEP’s contents, districts can base the EFA IEP off of TEA’s Senate Bill (SB) 2 guidance (https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/government-relations-and-legal/government-relations/sb-2-guidance.pdf).
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IDEA Funding Avoids Major Cuts in High-Stakes Budget Talks
The biggest uncertainty is timing, not totals. With deadline pressure rising, congressional leaders are weighing whether to move the package as a whole or split off the most contentious pieces to secure votes and avoid a shutdown. Those talks are largely centered on whether the Congress is willing to budget for a large increase in funding for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of the deal.
If the talks slip, Congress could pass another short extension that keeps agencies open but prolongs uncertainty for schools about final funding levels and federal program operations as the year moves forward.
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Bills Would Create Dyslexia Category in IDEA
Dyslexia is already explicitly named in current IDEA regulations as a condition within the broader “specific learning disability” category, which is one of the law’s existing disability classifications. The bills would instead establish a stand-alone definition of dyslexia in IDEA and list it separately in the definition of a “child with a disability.”
Backers argue a distinct category would push schools toward earlier, clearer identification. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said in an October announcement of the bill’s reintroduction that students are often not tested and that the measure would help ensure they get needed resources.
But a coalition of disability rights and education groups has warned Congress the approach could slow support for struggling readers by encouraging a “wait to fail” identification model and by splintering learning disability subtypes in ways that complicate service delivery.
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Abbott Announces Change to Use of H-1B Visas for Schools
On Tuesday, Abbott ordered state agencies and Texas public universities to freeze new H-1B visa petitions unless they get written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission, with the pause running through May 31, 2027. The directive does not apply to K-12 districts, but it raises pressure on school systems that sponsor visa holders and could shape future state action after the administration reviews the data, according to reporting by the Texas Tribune and other outlets. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
OSERS Hosts Listening Session
Commenters resoundingly rejected the transfer of special education and rehabilitation programs to the Department of Health and Human Services. They expressed concerns that special education programs would deteriorate without oversight, technical assistance, and support from the Department of Education. Commenters also consistently stated that federal laws and protections ensure that states have strong programs, often sharing personal stories of how the laws work when implemented well and can lead to fulfilled lives for children with disabilities.