The Texas Education Agency is providing a one-time extra-duty stipend grant to help school systems complete the review of student records needed for upcoming special education funding data submissions.
Funds must be used this summer to help cover staffing costs for reviewing records of students with disabilities as the state transitions to a new intensity-of-services funding model for special education this fall. This review is required to determine each student's tier of intensity, applicable service groups, and the average number of minutes per instructional day the student spends in a special education setting.
To be eligible, school systems must meet one of the following criteria:
- Serve 50 or more students receiving special education services, or
- Participate in a shared services arrangement (SSA) where the combined total of students receiving special education services across all member districts is 50 or more, even if individual members serve fewer than 50 students.
School systems receiving funding must:
- Affirm that funds will be used to support this summer review process
- Agree to submit at least 10% of their total special education student population through TEA’s early data request process
- Complete the early data submission by Aug. 14, 2026
Click here for full eligibility requirements.
The grant application window closes Aug. 6. Districts can apply here.
FAQ
TEA provided the following answers to frequently asked questions about the grant program:
How is the funding for my school system calculated?
The maximum amount a school system is eligible for can be calculated as the number of special education students at Fall 2025 Snapshot divided by 2 times 25. (Ex. Pretend ISD had 200 students in special education on its 2025 Fall Snapshot report. The fund formula is: 200 students = 200 / 2 * 25 = $2,500.00)
How should school systems use funds from this grant?
Funds must be used during the summer 2026 to help cover staffing costs for reviewing student with disabilities records. This review is required to determine each student's tier of intensity, applicable service group(s), and the average number of minutes per instructional day the student spends in a special education setting.
Our school system has hired a new FTE position to support completing the work for TEA’s early data request process. Is this an eligible expense for the grant?
No. Grant funds may not be used to fund new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. Funding is intended for extra-duty pay to existing staff for work performed outside of their standard contract.
Can this grant be used to retroactively reimburse or cover summer work stipends that were already paid out of IDEA-B rollover funds prior to applying for or receiving this grant?
Yes, school systems can use these funds to reclassify previously paid extra-duty stipend expenses, provided that both of the following conditions are met:
- The staff receiving the extra-duty stipend were operating outside of their standard contract days.
- The stipend directly supported the identification and submission of the new data elements required for TEA’s early data request.
Does the grant mandate funds be locally designated as a stipend, or can funds be distributed as any form of extra-duty compensation?
School systems have local flexibility regarding terminology. The grant is designed to cover staffing costs for summer record reviews to determine each student's tier of intensity, applicable service group(s), and the average number of minutes per instructional day the student spends in a special education setting. The funds must be used to compensate existing staff operating outside of their standard contract. Whether your local system refers to this compensation as extra-duty pay or a stipend is a local decision.
How is the funding for my school system calculated?
The maximum amount a school system is eligible for can be calculated as the number of special education students at Fall 2025 Snapshot divided by 2 times 25. (Ex. Pretend ISD had 200 students in special education on their 2025 Fall Snapshot report. The fund formula is: 200 students = 200 / 2 * 25 = $2,500.00)
How should school systems use funds from this grant?
Assurances indicate funds must be used during the summer 2026 to help cover staffing costs for reviewing student with disabilities records. This review is required to determine each student's tier of intensity, applicable service group(s), and the average number of minutes per instructional day the student spends in a special education setting.
Our school system has hired a new FTE position to support completing the work for TEA’s early data request process. Is this an eligible expense for the grant?
No. Grant funds may not be used to fund new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. Funding is intended for extra-duty pay to existing staff for work performed outside of their standard contract.
Can this grant be used to retroactively reimburse or cover summer work stipends that were already paid out of IDEA-B rollover funds prior to applying for or receiving this grant?
Yes, school systems can use these funds to reclassify previously paid extra-duty stipend expenses, provided that both of the following conditions are met:
- The staff receiving the extra-duty stipend were operating outside of their standard contract days.
- The stipend directly supported the identification and submission of the new data elements required for TEA’s early data request.
Does the grant mandate funds be locally designated as a stipend, or can funds be distributed as any form of extra-duty compensation?
School systems have local flexibility regarding terminology. The grant is designed to cover staffing costs for summer record reviews to determine each student's tier of intensity, applicable service group(s), and the average number of minutes per instructional day the student spends in a special education setting. The funds must be used to compensate existing staff operating outside of their standard contract. Whether your local system refers to this compensation as extra-duty pay or a stipend is a local decision.
Do school systems have local flexibility in how funds are distributed?
Decisions regarding the specific amounts and individual recipients of the extra-duty pay to staff are determined at the local level. These funds can be applied as a reimbursement, a cost-offset for summer record reviews, or as extra-duty pay for summer 2026 work at a rate determined locally.
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