IEP Service Delivery in Texas
How are IEP services delivered in Texas?
In Texas, service delivery for special education is governed by the ARD committee, which serves as the IEP team under state law (19 TAC §89.1050(a)). The IEP must document the projected start date, anticipated frequency, location, and duration of each special education and related service, as required by 34 CFR §300.320(a)(7) and implemented through 19 TAC §89.1055. Texas uses a specific instructional arrangement and setting coding system in which the percentage of the school day a student receives special education outside general education determines the student's placement designation (19 TAC §89.1005). Related service providers must hold appropriate TEA-issued credentials: speech-language pathologists must hold a TEA certificate or ASHA credential as specified in 19 TAC §231.1, occupational and physical therapists must be licensed under Texas Occupations Code, and educational diagnosticians must hold the appropriate TEA certification per applicable SBEC rules. Services documented in the IEP carry legal weight in Texas — each teacher and service provider responsible for implementing a portion of the IEP must be informed of their specific responsibilities, have access to the relevant IEP sections, and have an opportunity to request implementation assistance (19 TAC §89.1075).
What Texas Requires
The IEP must specify the projected start date, anticipated frequency (how often), location (where), and duration (length of each session and period of provision) for each special education and related service (34 CFR §300.320(a)(7); 19 TAC §89.1055(a))
Texas uses a state instructional arrangement and setting coding system based on the percentage of the school day in non-general-education settings to determine and document placement; the ARD committee determines the instructional arrangement based on each student’s individualized needs (19 TAC §89.1005)
Each teacher and related service provider implementing the IEP must have access to the relevant IEP sections, be informed of their specific implementation responsibilities, and have an opportunity to request assistance (19 TAC §89.1075)
Speech-language pathology services may be provided as a related service or as special education depending on ARD committee determination; SLPs must hold appropriate TEA certification or ASHA credentials per 19 TAC §231.1
Occupational and physical therapists providing IEP services must be licensed under the Texas Occupations Code; educational diagnosticians must hold the appropriate TEA certification as specified in SBEC rules
The ARD committee must ensure services are based on peer-reviewed research to the extent practicable and support progress toward IEP annual goals (34 CFR §300.320(a)(4); 19 TAC §89.1055(a))
Key Timelines
Special education and related services must begin on the projected start date documented in the IEP; services must be made available as soon as possible following IEP development (34 CFR §300.323(c)(2))
Service frequency, duration, and location must be reviewed and updated at least annually as part of the ARD committee's annual IEP review (34 CFR §300.324(b)(1))
For transfer students, comparable services must begin immediately and a new IEP must be developed within 20 school days of verification of prior eligibility when no new evaluation is needed (19 TAC §89.1050)