1. (a) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

   1. (1) Charter school--A Texas public school that meets one of the following criteria:

      1. (A) is operated by a charter holder under an open-enrollment charter granted either by the State Board of Education or commissioner of education pursuant to Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.101, identified with its own county-district number;
      2. (B) has a charter granted under TEC, Chapter 12, Subchapter C, and is eligible for benefits under TEC, §11.174 and §48.252;
      3. (C) has a charter granted under TEC, §29.259, and Human Resources Code, §221.002; or
      4. (D) has a charter granted under TEC, §11.157(b).
   2. (2) Classroom teacher--An educator who is employed by a school or district and who, not less than an average of four hours each day, teaches in an academic instructional setting or a career and technical instructional setting. This term does not include an educational aide or a full-time administrator.
   3. (3) National Board certification--Certification issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
   4. (4) School district--The definition of a school district includes charter schools as defined in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

2. (b) Eligibility.

   1. (1) Subject to continuing authorization by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) under TEC, §21.3523, teachers with current National Board certification are eligible for a recognized or nationally board certified designation if the teacher:

      1. (A) is employed by a school district or charter partner pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(B) or (D) of this section in a staff classification coded as 087 (Teacher) and corresponding classroom position of 01, 02, or 03, if applicable, in the Texas Student Data System (TSDS). A charter partner operating under subsection (a)(1)(B) or (D) of this section is required to report teacher-level data in TSDS or provide teacher-level data to their partner school district for reporting by the district in TSDS;
      2. (B) registers his or her National Board certification in Texas in the National Board Certified Teacher directory by January 31 each year; and
      3. (C) does not have a suspension, revocation, permanent surrender, or surrender of a certificate issued by the SBEC and is not found on the registry of persons not eligible for employment in public schools under TEC, §22.092, and Chapter 153, Subchapter EE, of this title (relating to Commissioner's Rules Concerning Registry of Persons Not Eligible for Employment in Public Schools).
   2. (2) Effective August 1, 2026, eligibility for recognized designation based on paragraph (1) of this subsection will expire. National Board certified teachers designated as recognized will be redesignated as nationally board certified.
   3. (3) Teachers who are designated as recognized or nationally board certified based on paragraph (1) of this subsection are eligible to earn and receive designations under §150.1041 of this chapter (relating to Local Optional Teacher Designation System).
   4. (4) The last valid year of designation awarded under this subsection is the last school year in which the National Board certification is valid.
   5. (5) School districts are eligible to receive funding for a designated teacher if the teacher has been or will be employed by the school district receiving the funding or charter partner operating pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(B) or (D) of this section in a staff classification coded as 087 (Teacher) and corresponding classroom position of 01, 02, or 03, if applicable, in TSDS for 90 days at 100% of the day (equivalent to four and one-half months or a full semester) or 180 days at 50-99% of the day and compensated for that employment. A charter partner operating under subsection (a)(1)(B) or (D) of this section is required to report teacher-level data in TSDS or provide teacher-level data to its partner school district for reporting by the district in TSDS.
   6. (6) A district employing a teacher designated as nationally board certified who is also designated under §150.1041 of this chapter is not eligible to receive additional funding under paragraph (5) of this section.

3. (c) Reimbursement.

   1. (1) School districts may request reimbursement for the following eligible National Board fees paid under TEC, §21.3521, by the district or the teacher with National Board certification when National Board certification has been successfully earned:

      1. (A) renewal fees up to $1,250;
      2. (B) certification fees up to $1,900;
      3. (C) maintenance of certification fees up to $495; and
      4. (D) fees for initial, renewed, or maintenance National Board certifications earned on or after the 2019-2020 school year.
   2. (2) School districts requesting National Board certification reimbursement shall establish a process to ensure that teachers with National Board certification have received from the school district full reimbursement of eligible fees paid by the teacher before the school district can be reimbursed by Texas Education Agency (TEA). Charter partners operating pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(B) or (D) of this section without a county-district number will be reimbursed through their district. Charter partners and districts shall work together to ensure that the spending requirements of TEC, §48.112, are met.
   3. (3) School districts are not required to apply to TEA for approval of National Board certification-based designations.
4. (d) Funding. The requirements of §150.1041(g)(1) and (2) of this chapter apply to funding referenced in this section.

Source Note:The provisions of this §150.1042 adopted to be effective April 19, 2026, 51 TexReg 2390.