July 27, 2026 – AUSTIN, Texas — Marking a major milestone in Texas’s teacher evaluation framework, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released updated guidance and initial field-testing findings for the revised Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS), commonly referred to as T-TESS 2.
The original T-TESS framework was launched in 2015 and is currently utilized by roughly 89% of Texas public school systems. As the system enters its second decade, the state is overhauling the appraisal framework to align with updated state standards—including those established under House Bill 1605—and incorporate modern instructional priorities such as High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM), the Science of Learning, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
High Marks from Early Field-Testing
Feedback gathered during field-testing across participating Texas school districts reveals widespread enthusiasm for the updated rubric. Designed to reduce subjectivity and improve calibration between campus leaders and teachers, early surveys highlighted strong consensus on the clarity of performance expectations:
- Focus on Essential Practice: 96% of school leaders and 90% of teachers agreed that the refreshed rubric accurately captures the most critical aspects of effective teaching.
- Clear Performance Levels: 100% of school leaders and 97% of teachers agreed that differences between performance levels are clear, meaningful, and easy to distinguish.
- Actionable Feedback: 93% of teachers reported that the revised rubric supports constructive, growth-focused coaching conversations.
“T-TESS 2 brings a cohesive focus to key elements of teaching while creating a shared language between educators and administrators,” the TEA noted in its released materials, emphasizing that the refresh maintains continuity with the current system while updating core dimensions.
What Changes in the T-TESS 2 Rubric?
The revised rubric streamlines evaluation around four primary domains, adding guiding questions and target indicators to guide observations:
- Instructional Preparation: Focuses on lesson design, lesson internalization (how well teachers prepare to deliver rigorous content), and supporting all learners. Includes explicit frameworks for teachers utilizing state-approved HQIM.
- Instructional Delivery: Evaluates objective alignment, pacing, evidence-based content delivery, and how teachers monitor and respond to student learning in real time.
- Learning Environment: Assesses classroom routines, efficiency, and structures that foster student persistence and engagement.
- Professional Practices & Responsibilities: Measures ethical practices, legal compliance, safe technology use, and collaborative practices.
A notable update in scoring protocol specifies that for a teacher to meet a performance level descriptor, the target practice must generally be demonstrated at least 80% of the time during an observation or evaluation period.
Implementation Timeline
The transition to T-TESS 2 will roll out in structured phases over the next three school years to allow districts ample time for training and system calibration:
School Year Implementation Phase 2026–2027 Pilot Phase: 15 selected school systems pilot T-TESS 2 with full implementation support from TEA and regional ESC partners. 2027–2028 Recommended Statewide Rollout: Recommended implementation year for districts adopting T-TESS 2, following recertification trainings in spring/summer 2027. 2028–2029 Full Implementation: Target year for all remaining districts adopting the updated system.
Districts participating in the pilot receive dedicated technical assistance, updated calibration resources, and financial support for administrator and appraiser training.
Looking Ahead
With appraiser recertification training scheduled to begin in early 2027, regional Education Service Centers (ESCs) across Texas are preparing to train campus administrators on the updated rubric. Further updates and resources for districts are available via the state’s official portal at Teach for Texas.
