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The purpose of this communication is to inform school systems about the publication of the final rule adopting the ��–F Accountability Rating System Manual for 2026 accountability ratings.
 
In response to the feedback of our stakeholders, the final ��–F Accountability Rating System Manual for 2026 is now available earlier than ever, providing school systems with notice prior to the start of the 2025–26 school year of the methodology that will impact their 2026 ratings. The Accountability Rating System Manual for 2026 was filed June 9 and will be published in the June 27 issue of the Texas Register with an effective date of June 29, 2025. The manual is available today on the 2026 Accountability Manual webpage. The final manual reflects feedback collected from the proposed rules posted on April 17. 

Overview

The A-F Accountability Rating System Manual describes the 2026 accountability system and explains how information from various sources is used to measure district and campus performance, assign accountability ratings, and award distinction designations. The manual also covers topics related to designations under the federal accountability system and Results Driven Accountability (RDA). 

��–F Accountability 

The Texas ��–F accountability system is a tool to help school systems continuously improve student performance to achieve the goals of eliminating achievement gaps based on race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status and ensuring Texas is a national leader in preparing students for postsecondary success. One of the design commitments of ��–F is that the system maintains, to the extent possible, the same calculations and cut scores for up to five consecutive years without annual changes or updates, allowing for better year-over-year performance comparisons. 

In the 2022–23 school year, the ��–F system was refreshed. The refresh included changes to cut points, domain and indicator methodology and the overall system. To honor the ��–F commitment to maintain the refreshed system without annual changes or updates for up to five consecutive years, 2026 cut points, domain and indicator methodology and the overall system remain the same as those communicated and established in rules previously adopted.

��–F Accountability Rating System Manual for 2026 Ratings

2026 Academic Accountability System Resources regarding the updates are available on the 2026 Accountability System webpage.  After the public comment period, the proposed updates have been incorporated into the final A-F Accountability Rating System Manual. 

Previously adopted manuals included early communication of changes impacting future accountability cycles to ensure the manual would remain relevant for multiple cycles. 
During the public comment period for the 2026 manual, a revision to one of these previously adopted changes was announced. The adopted manual for 2026 ratings has been updated from proposed to reflect that only agency-reviewed and approved courses are eligible for College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) starting in the 2028 accountability year, with 2026-2027 graduates. 

The adopted 2026 manual also includes two minimal changes to data sources that were announced when proposed and were planned for and announced during the 2023 refresh. This includes military enlistment data and TELPAS composite score data. A proposed change to TELPAS in RDA was also removed at adoption. Edits for clarity regarding consistent language and terminology throughout each chapter are also embedded in the final A-F Accountability Rating System Manual based on public comment.  

Contact Information

For any questions about the final ��–F Accountability System Manual for 2026 ratings, please contact the Performance Reporting Division at (512) 463-9704 or email performance.reporting@tea.texas.gov.