1. (a) Special Education Standards. The standards identified in this section are targeted for teachers of students who receive special education services. The standards address the discipline associated with the theory and practice of teaching students who receive special education services. The standards inform appropriate teaching techniques, methods, and teacher actions, judgments, and decisions by taking into consideration philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of special education, characteristics of students who receive special education services, understandings of the needs and strengths of students who receive special education services, and the backgrounds and interests of individual students.

2. (b) Legal and Ethical Guidelines. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher demonstrates knowledge of all applicable laws specific to students with disabilities. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) demonstrate knowledge of legislation that has affected knowledge and practice of the education of individuals with disabilities;
   2. (2) demonstrate knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 eligibility categories;
   3. (3) demonstrate knowledge of all required components of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as outlined in law;
   4. (4) demonstrate knowledge of all sections of the special education eligibility folder and where to store required documentation;
   5. (5) demonstrate knowledge of the legal responsibility of all school staff to fully implement an IEP;
   6. (6) demonstrate knowledge of the legal responsibility of all teachers and school staff to protect the confidentiality and dignity of students with disabilities;
   7. (7) demonstrate knowledge of the special education teacher's roles and responsibilities regarding Child Find;
   8. (8) demonstrate knowledge of the special education teacher's roles and responsibilities in creating and implementing the IEP with fidelity, including monitoring student IEP goal progress, implementing data collection of IEP goal progress, and reporting progress to the student and parents/guardians throughout the IEP year;
   9. (9) use a variety of assessment data to write annual measurable goals and present levels of academic achievement and functional performance, identify appropriate accommodations (academic, behavior, state, and district testing) and modifications based on individual student needs, and contribute to drafting the IEP;
   10. (10) maintain student eligibility folders and store ongoing documentation according to local educational agency (LEA) requirements and keep records to document receipt of the IEP by all required school staff;
   11. (11) audit student class schedules to ensure compliance with least restrictive environment and schedule of services in the IEP;
   12. (12) demonstrate knowledge of the role and responsibilities of the special education teacher in preparing for an Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) committee meeting, including collecting required data, interpreting the results of progress monitoring and classroom assessment data, and visually representing and interpreting data to show student progress;
   13. (13) demonstrate knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of the required members of an ARD committee;
   14. (14) demonstrate knowledge of the required components of a typical ARD committee meeting agenda;
   15. (15) interpret the results of a variety of assessment data (i.e., classroom, state, and district transition assessment) in plain language to explain present levels of student academic achievement and functional performance, student progress on annual IEP goals, and mastery of grade level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to the ARD committee members;
   16. (16) prepare and support students in leading ARD committee discussion regarding progress on IEP goals, mastery of grade level TEKS, appropriate accommodations (academic, behavior, state, and district assessment), transition needs and goals, and other supplements as needed;
   17. (17) apply knowledge of individuals served through special education as well as special education laws and policies to encourage families' full participation in the education of their students;
   18. (18) demonstrate understanding that students served through special education may also have other special populations identifiers (i.e., gifted and talented, Emergent Bilingual identification, classification as highly mobile or at risk);
   19. (19) support students in their development of self-reliance and self-advocacy;
   20. (20) support high academic and behavioral expectations for students with disabilities; and
   21. (21) demonstrate understanding that individuals with high support needs deserve to be challenged with high expectations and provided with meaningful opportunities to develop the highest possible learning outcomes.

3. (c) Understanding and Addressing Each Individual's Developmental and Learning Needs. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) demonstrate knowledge about relevant physical and emotional development from birth through early adulthood;
   2. (2) demonstrate knowledge of how stress, protective factors, resilience, and supportive relationships may impact learning, behavior, and development in students with disabilities;
   3. (3) demonstrate knowledge of how disabilities can interact with development and learning;
   4. (4) demonstrate knowledge of the multiple biological, physical, psychological, and social influences that affect learning and development when working with individuals with high support needs;
   5. (5) demonstrate knowledge of strategies to support students' development and independence given relevant grade level expectations for students from birth through early adulthood;
   6. (6) apply a variety of evidence-based, age-appropriate classroom routines and procedures that support individual developmental and learning needs;
   7. (7) demonstrate knowledge of a variety of assistive technologies to support individual developmental and learning needs;
   8. (8) demonstrate knowledge of how developmental academic, social, and functional characteristics of individuals with high support needs impact levels of support needs;
   9. (9) apply knowledge of evidence-based practices to identify and intervene when students are not making progress in functional, academic, or behavioral goals; and
   10. (10) demonstrate the knowledge and ability to adapt instruction when students with high support needs do not meet milestones.

4. (d) Subject Matter Content and Specialized Curricular Knowledge. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) understand how to identify a learner's preferred mode of communication;
   2. (2) demonstrate a content-specific knowledge at a level necessary for students with disabilities to progress in their individualized programs toward completion of appropriate graduation requirements;
   3. (3) apply content-specific knowledge to routinely collaborate, co-teach, modify, and adapt curriculum with general education teachers;
   4. (4) demonstrate knowledge of how to integrate appropriate instructional and assistive technology for students;
   5. (5) apply knowledge of individual learner characteristics and specialized curricula knowledge to accommodate, modify, and/or adapt the curricula across contexts;
   6. (6) demonstrate knowledge of specialized curricula that may include curriculum for social skills, life skills, transition, orientation and mobility, independence, and self-advocacy;
   7. (7) demonstrate knowledge of families and community when involving paraprofessionals, general educators, specialists, resources, and supports to create and incorporate strategies for making content and instruction accessible and challenging for students at all levels of support needs;
   8. (8) demonstrate knowledge of how to provide modified access to subject-specific instructional materials to address individual learner needs in different contexts such as center-based, home-based, and school-based classrooms, including specialized and general classrooms; and
   9. (9) recognize barriers to accessibility and acceptance of individuals with high support needs and plan for ways to address those barriers through the implementation of specialized curricula.

5. (e) Assessment for Data-based Decision Making. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) demonstrate knowledge of different forms, purposes, and applications of assessment to inform development of the IEP and plan instruction;
   2. (2) assess students' learning, behavior, and the classroom environment in order to evaluate and support classroom and school-based problem-solving systems of intervention and instruction;
   3. (3) use data from variety of formative and summative assessments to identify learning goals and plan and adapt instruction;
   4. (4) demonstrate knowledge of how to implement, collect data from, and keep records of ongoing formative assessment;
   5. (5) use the results of multiple assessments to determine if a student is making adequate progress toward measurable outcomes;
   6. (6) use assessment results to design, adjust, plan, and inform instruction or intervention;
   7. (7) accurately interpret the results of various forms of assessments, including state assessments and district benchmark assessments;
   8. (8) accurately analyze, interpret, and discuss the results of a variety of evaluation data for an individual student;
   9. (9) interpret a variety of evaluation data, including measures of student functioning and educational, physical, and medical needs;
   10. (10) identify, recommend, and implement appropriate accommodations and/or modifications for classroom, behavior, state, and district testing or other assessments as determined by the ARD committee;
   11. (11) provide feedback to stakeholders regarding student performance on assessments and interpret assessment results in plain language for parents and students;
   12. (12) administer, interpret, and gather baseline data from screening instruments and diagnostic reading, mathematics, and behavior assessments;
   13. (13) support students to understand and use their assessment data to self-monitor and self-regulate; and
   14. (14) collaborate with professionals with additional expertise as needed (e.g., English as a second language specialists, bilingual specialists, translators, speech and language pathologists, behavior specialists) to ensure an appropriate and valid assessment process.

6. (f) Supporting Learning Using Effective Instruction. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) demonstrate knowledge of how to plan instruction according to the requirements of an IEP, including supplements, assistive technology, and related services;
   2. (2) demonstrate knowledge of the key differences between IEP accommodations and modified curriculum;
   3. (3) design instruction to meet the needs of students based on information from various types of formative and summative assessments;
   4. (4) plan for strategic integration of assistive technology into daily teaching practices based on student developmental and learning needs;
   5. (5) use knowledge of the learning processes to select, adapt, and apply instructional strategies that meet the needs of individual students and support transition goals;
   6. (6) use explicit, scaffolded, and systematic instruction to teach content, strategies, and skills;
   7. (7) design individualized instruction that adapts instructional intensity and/or intervention to build on students' strengths and accommodate students' needs;
   8. (8) provide specific, developmentally appropriate, and explicit feedback to students during instruction to engage, motivate, and support students toward mastery;
   9. (9) plan and integrate transition-focused activities into classroom instruction;
   10. (10) create opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills using different modalities and allow every individual to advance as he or she demonstrates understanding;
   11. (11) apply knowledge of developmentally appropriate instructional strategies to engage, motivate, and promote learning specific to the needs of students with disabilities;
   12. (12) apply knowledge of the learning processes to select and use a variety of grouping strategies (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to meet the learning needs of each student;
   13. (13) promote the generalization of concepts and skills across content areas and educational settings;
   14. (14) design visual supports to promote student mastery of curriculum, executive functioning, and classroom procedures;
   15. (15) adapt instruction and make regular changes based on data from assessments;
   16. (16) plan, adapt, and deliver learning experiences for individuals with high support needs that reflects an understanding of the continuum of instructional settings and an understanding of how to engage individuals with high support needs in meaningful learning activities across instructional settings;
   17. (17) incorporate strategies for making content and instruction accessible and challenging for individuals with all support needs;
   18. (18) apply knowledge of students, content, and pedagogy to develop, implement, evaluate, and revise instruction and interventions as needed;
   19. (19) demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the learning processes of students from early childhood to early adulthood;
   20. (20) use strategies to promote active student engagement;
   21. (21) design appropriate learning and performance accommodations and modifications for students with exceptional learning needs in academic subject matter content of the general curriculum; and
   22. (22) apply content-specific knowledge to modify and differentiate instruction as well as provide access to instructional materials for a wide range of student performance levels.

7. (g) Supporting Students' Non-academic Growth. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) design effective and universally accessible environments and learning experiences appropriate for students in Prekindergarten-Grade 12;
   2. (2) demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices that contribute to a positive and safe learning environment;
   3. (3) demonstrate knowledge of classroom and schoolwide systems of Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS);
   4. (4) demonstrate knowledge of the key components and purposes of a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA);
   5. (5) demonstrate knowledge of the key components and purposes of a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP);
   6. (6) create an environment in which expectations are clear and predictable and instructional routines and classroom procedures are used to support and engage students;
   7. (7) use developmentally appropriate procedures and routines to facilitate safe and efficient transitions, promote independence, self-regulation, and executive functioning;
   8. (8) use effective procedures and routines to create a physically safe, relationship-driven, and organized learning environment with access to materials, instruction, and content that facilitates social communication with peers and staff;
   9. (9) establish, explicitly teach, and maintain clear expectations for student behavior;
   10. (10) demonstrate knowledge of research-based de-escalation strategies to effectively address aggressive behavior;
   11. (11) build positive relationships with students based on understanding of individual strengths and needs, high expectations, and mutual respect and rapport;
   12. (12) create an atmosphere of safety that encourages the well-being of staff and students;
   13. (13) use sources of data, such as the BIP, to identify or develop effective, evidence-based, and, whenever possible, function-based practices for class-wide or individual-level interventions;
   14. (14) analyze progress monitoring data as defined in the BIP to evaluate the effects of behavioral interventions;
   15. (15) consider multiple avenues of intervention and reinforcement techniques such as class-wide and/or individual-level interventions;
   16. (16) use FBA to collect data and analyze and utilize the data to design behavior intervention;
   17. (17) conform to legal and ethical guidelines for all behavioral interventions;
   18. (18) demonstrate knowledge of the impact of behavior on the learning of students and classmates;
   19. (19) understand how factors, including family, community, and disability impact student behavior in the learning environment;
   20. (20) provide positive and constructive specific, developmentally appropriate, and explicit feedback to guide student behavior;
   21. (21) demonstrate understanding of the importance of digital citizenship and the vulnerability of students with disabilities to social media influences;
   22. (22) demonstrate knowledge and apply principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA); and
   23. (23) demonstrate knowledge of how to find appropriate school and community supports for students.

8. (h) Professional Learning and Collaboration. The Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) demonstrate knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of the Early Childhood-Grade 12 special education teacher and of other professionals who deliver special education services, including related and instructional service providers;
   2. (2) collaborate with paraprofessionals to identify and define the responsibilities, skills, and professional development needed for their roles;
   3. (3) collaborate with families, paraprofessionals, and other professionals to lead effective meetings that address students' needs;
   4. (4) consult with campus staff and/or colleagues about strategies, supports, and implementation of IEPs;
   5. (5) coordinate with service providers and build student schedules;
   6. (6) implement transition activities in the IEP that include community resources and service providers;
   7. (7) mentor and supervise paraprofessionals;
   8. (8) effectively collaborate with general education teachers to deliver, adapt, and differentiate instruction to meet the academic and non-academic needs of individual students;
   9. (9) understand the strengths and limitations of various co-teaching models based on setting and the individual needs of students;
   10. (10) effectively implement co-teaching models to deliver, adapt, and differentiate instruction to meet students' needs;
   11. (11) collaborate and consult with multi-disciplinary teams to plan and implement instruction in accordance with a student's IEP;
   12. (12) select and develop resources to improve communication and collaboration with family and community;
   13. (13) coordinate with related service providers and community agencies to identify and access services, resources, and supports to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities;
   14. (14) engage in ongoing self-reflection to design and implement professional learning activities;
   15. (15) set short-term and long-term professional goals based on ongoing analysis of student learning, self-reflection, and professional standards; and
   16. (16) demonstrate understanding of the barriers that exist for students with high support needs within educational settings and work with decision makers to design environments and select curriculum resources that include supports that address a range of student needs.

9. (i) Elementary Special Education Teachers (Early Childhood-Grade 6). In addition to the knowledge and skills listed in subsections (b)-(h) of this section, the Early Childhood-Grade 6 special education teacher must:

   1. (1) demonstrate knowledge of the Emergent Literacy-Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Fine Arts domains of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines;
   2. (2) demonstrate knowledge of the TEKS for English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and fine arts (Kindergarten-Grade 6);
   3. (3) demonstrate specific knowledge of early numeracy, early literacy, and pre-academic skills according to the TEKS and the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines;
   4. (4) apply content-specific knowledge to develop individualized goals and objectives that are aligned with the appropriate grade-level TEKS and the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines;
   5. (5) apply understanding of the subject matter TEKS, the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, and specialized curricula to inform programmatic and instructional decisions for students with high support needs; and
   6. (6) demonstrate a foundational knowledge of the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

10. (j) Secondary Special Education Teachers (Grades 6-12). In addition to the knowledge and skills listed in subsections (b)-(h) of this section, the Grades 6-12 special education teacher must:

    1. (1) apply content-specific knowledge to develop individualized goals and objectives that are aligned with the appropriate grade-level TEKS;
    2. (2) demonstrate knowledge of the TEKS for English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and fine arts (Grades 6-12);
    3. (3) apply understanding of the subject matter TEKS and specialized curricula to inform programmatic and instructional decisions for students with high support needs;
    4. (4) demonstrate knowledge of transition requirements within the IEP;
    5. (5) demonstrate knowledge of graduation options for students with disabilities receiving special education services according to §89.1070 of Part 2 of this title (relating to Graduation Requirements);
    6. (6) demonstrate knowledge of requirements for transfer of rights at the age of majority;
    7. (7) demonstrate knowledge of requirements for transition planning beginning at the age of 14;
    8. (8) schedule and facilitate ongoing transition activities to prepare students for postsecondary living according to the IEP;
    9. (9) support student participation in the IEP, ARD meetings, and transition plan;
    10. (10) demonstrate knowledge of how specific developmental characteristics of the teenage brain impact learning (e.g., decision-making, problem-solving, impulse control, and relationships);
    11. (11) demonstrate a foundational knowledge of content specific TEKS and College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) appropriate for students in Grades 6-12;
    12. (12) apply content-specific knowledge to develop individualized goals and objectives that are aligned with the appropriate grade-level TEKS and CCRS;
    13. (13) use the results of multiple assessments to determine students' transition needs;
    14. (14) collaborate with community service providers to address transition needs in accordance with the IEP; and
    15. (15) demonstrate knowledge of the key components of different employment models and how to provide access to community-based instruction, and vocational training.

Source Note:The provisions of this §235.131 adopted to be effective October 15, 2020, 45 TexReg 7261; amended to be effective October 19, 2025, 50 TexReg 6665.