Accelerated Instruction: HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List for the 2025-2026 School Year
| Date: | March 27, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Accelerated Instruction: HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List for the 2025-2026 School Year |
| Category: | Accelerated Instruction |
| Next Steps: | Share with district and campus administrators and optionally attend webinar |
Overview
While students across Texas continue to show positive academic growth, there is still a significant need for accelerated instruction to ensure continued progress toward grade-level proficiency. In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0211, students who do not achieve approaches or higher on STAAR® grades 3 through 8 or End-of-Course (EOC) assessments must receive accelerated instruction. House Bill (HB) 1416, 88(R), provides that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) approve automated, computerized, or other augmented method products for providing accelerated instruction which may waive the statutorily required 4-to-1 student-to-tutor ratio.
Background
The HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List (RWL) includes approved products that can be used to waive this ratio requirement. While school systems can choose any curricular tool to support accelerated instruction, only products on this list qualify for the waiver of the 4-to-1 student-to-tutor ratio.
HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List Overview:
- Products were evaluated based on product efficacy, research rigor, student independence opportunities, alignment with accelerated instruction requirements, and alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
- School systems are responsible for contracting and funding their chosen product.
- TEA did not conduct a suitability review of the products, and vendors must meet SBOE suitability requirements to remain on the list.
- School systems must ensure instructional materials meet local suitability standards and state requirements including:
- Compliance with Texas Education Code §31.1011(a)(1)(B) which provides in the provision of instructional materials, the district protects students from obscene or harmful content as necessary for compliance with:
- All products approved for the HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List must also be approved through the State Board of Education’s (SBOE) Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) process once the subject area or course is called for a review. Supplemental math materials will be reviewed through IMRA beginning in 2025, and supplemental RLA (reading language arts) materials will be reviewed beginning in 2026. IMRA funds for supplemental math materials will be available for school districts in the 2026-27 school year.
- Additional details about the HB 1416 Ratio Waiver list process are available on the HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List Products | Texas Education Agency webpage.
The review process for the HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List was conducted in fall 2024 and included a third-party evaluation to assess the rigor of the research studies submitted by supplemental online curriculum vendors. As a result of this evaluation, Zearn Math for grades 4 and 5 has been added as an approved product on the 2025-26 HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List.
2025-26 Ratio Waiver List
The HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List for the 2025–26 school year:
| Subject | Product Name (Publisher) | Approved Grades for HB 1416 |
|---|---|---|
| Math | IXL Math (IXL Learning) | 4–11 |
| Math | ST Math (MIND Education) | 4–8 |
| Math | Zearn Math (Zearn) | 4–5 |
| RLA | Amira Learning Distributed by Amira or HMH (Amira Learning, Inc.) | 4–6 |
| RLA | HMH Read 180 Flex (HMH) | 4–11 |
| RLA | IXL Language Arts (IXL Learning) | 4–11 |
Additional Notes
- IMRA Alignment:
- Math products not approved by the State Board of Education in IMRA Cycle 2025 in November 2025 will be removed from the RWL at that time. School systems may continue to use a non-IMRA-approved RWL math product in the same capacity as an RWL product for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year if their selected product is removed from RWL due to not being approved through IMRA. After the 2025-26 school year, school systems choosing to use a product on the RWL for the purpose of waiving accelerated instruction requirements must select from a product included on the 2026-27 list.
- MIND Education, creators of ST Math, did not submit grades 6,7, or 8 for IMRA Cycle 2025. As an existing approved product for the HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List, ST Math for grades 6–8 may be used in the same capacity as an RWL product during the 2025-26 school year but not beyond the 2025-26 school year unless the product is submitted to and approved through IMRA.
- Minimum Usage Requirements: To benefit from using an RWL product without the 4-to-1 student-to-tutor ratio requirement, applicable students must meet the minimum usage requirements for the approved product. If a school district does not meet these usage requirements, it will be required to revert to the 4-to-1 student-to-tutor ratio for supplemental instruction (19 TAC §104.1001).
- A Note on Teacher Quality: Teachers are the most important in-school factor impacting student outcomes (Hattie, Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning, 2011). The tools approved on this list, when implemented effectively with quality educator training and sufficient time in a master schedule, can reduce educator workload while addressing individual learning gaps in full group or high-impact tutoring settings. However, these tools are not a substitute for excellent teaching.
Support Resources
The following supports are available for school system personnel supporting HB 1416 implementation:
- HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List Webinar: Tuesday, April 1, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST- Rule updates and information regarding the HB 1416 RWL products and implementation will be provided. Interested attendees may register for the webinar.
- 2025-26 HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List Office Hours: Wednesday, April 9, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST- Interested attendees may register for the office hours.
- Direct Support: School system personnel may reach out to Texas Tutoring Supports - Welcome to the TEA Help Desk with questions.
- Additional Information and Resources: School systems can access additional information and resources on the HB 1416 Ratio Waiver List Products | Texas Education Agency webpage.
Hattie, J. (2011). Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning. Routledge