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Innovative Courses

Innovative courses allow districts to offer state-approved innovative courses to enable students to master knowledge, skills, and competencies not included in the essential knowledge and skills of the required curriculum (Texas Administrative Code [TAC] Section 74.27). The State Board of Education (SBOE) may approve discipline-based courses in the foundation or enrichment curriculum and courses that do not fall within any of the subject areas listed in the foundation and enrichment curricula when the applying school district or organization demonstrates that the proposed course is academically rigorous and addresses documented student needs.

School districts and open-enrollment charters that wish to offer an approved innovative high school course are encouraged to reference the Innovative Course Implementation section of this webpage.

Stakeholders who are interested in submitting an application for a new innovative high school course are encouraged to reference the Innovative Course Application and Approval section of this webpage.

Authors of expiring innovative courses who have been invited to renew are also encouraged to reference the Innovative Course Application and Approval section of this webpage.

Announcements

  • Application Window Now Open for the 2026–2027 Cycle: Applicants may now submit application materials for the 2026–2027 innovative course cycle. Applicants are encouraged to fully review the application materials and supporting documents when preparing their submissions.

  • Application Materials for the 2026–2027 Innovative Course Cycle Now Available: Materials related to innovative course applications for the 2026–2027 cycle are now available. Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the materials provided found under the Application Materials and Supporting Documents section of this webpage. 

  • List of Expiring Innovative Courses Now Available: The list of innovative courses that are scheduled to be retired on August 31, 2025, and no longer count for state elective credit has been posted. Stakeholders may review the list under the List of Expiring Innovative Courses section of this webpage.

Innovative Course Implementation

This section is intended for school districts and open-enrollment charters that wish to offer an approved innovative course in their course catalog for students.

List of Approved Innovative Courses

With the approval of the local board of trustees, school districts and open-enrollment charters may offer any state-approved innovative course for state elective credit only. Innovative courses may not meet any other specific graduation requirement. LEAs do not need to apply to TEA to offer an approved innovative course. Innovative courses are approved to meet certain endorsement requirements on the Foundation High School Program.

Complete course descriptions and requirements are available for download in the list of approved innovative courses shown above or from one of the content-area pages listed below. Course descriptions include the knowledge and skills for the course, suggested activities, suggested resources and materials, and approved educator certifications. The lists have been updated as of August 14, 2023.

List of Expiring Innovative Courses (To Be Retired August 31, 2025)

On August 31, 2025, twelve innovative courses will be retired and no longer count for state elective credit. School districts and open-enrollment charters may choose to continue offering the retired courses as local elective credits. As course renewals are dependent upon SBOE consideration, stakeholders are encouraged to regularly check for updates to this list.  

Innovative Courses That Have Become TEKS-Based Courses, 2024–2025

Beginning with the 2024–2025 school year, eight former innovative courses will become TEKS-based courses. The following list includes updated Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) IDs for each course as well as the location of each TEKS the 19 TAC.

Innovative Course Application and Approval Process

This section is intended for stakeholders who are interested in submitting an application for a new innovative course. Authors of expiring innovative courses who have been invited to renew are also encouraged to reference this section.

Rule Changes for Innovative Course Applications

In November 2023, the SBOE approved amendments to the rules related to innovative courses. Major changes include the following:

Previous Rules Amended Rules
Courses are approved by either SBOE or Commissioner of Education. Courses approved by SBOE.
All new courses require a pilot.

All new courses, except for courses designated for a TEA-approved CTE program of study, require a pilot.

Please note that the refreshed programs of study have been finalized and that no new innovative courses will be accepted into a statewide or regional program of study. Therefore, all new courses will require a pilot for the 2025–2026 cycle.
N/A New courses are approved for 3 years and renewals for 5 years.
LEAs may offer innovative course without modifications with the approval of their local board of trustees. LEAs may offer innovative courses without deletions with the approval of their local board of trustees.
N/A All recommended resources must be submitted to TEA for SBOE review.

 Application Materials and Supporting Documents

The 2026–2027 application window will open on February 24, 2025. Prospective applicants are asked to use the following materials for any submission.

The following application materials are for new courses:

The following application materials are for renewals:

Application Webinars

To provide guidance on completing the upcoming innovative course application and materials for the 2026–2027 cycle, the innovative courses team will be presenting a series of instructional webinars. These webinars are intended to highlight best practices for completing the application and answer any questions that interested applicants may have concerning the 2026–2027 cycle.

The next webinar will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Central. Interested applicants are asked to register using the following link: 

Registration link for Thursday, May 22, 2025, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Central

One additional webinar will be provided on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Central. Registration information for this session will be posted on this webpage soon.

Questions related to innovative courses or the approval process may be directed to the Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division by submitting a TEA help desk ticket or contacting the innovative course inbox at innovative.courses@tea.texas.gov. 

Application Timeline for the 2026–2027 Cycle

Courses that are approved will be available for implementation beginning with the 2026–2027 school year.

The table below contains the estimated innovative course application timeline. A detailed table of dates will be published at a later time.

Date Action
January 17, 2025 Information regarding innovative courses and renewals is made available online.
January–June 2025 Innovative courses with an expiration year of 2025–2026 are invited to renew.
February 24, 2025 Application window is open for the 2026–2027 cycle. Applicants may begin to submit materials.
September 12, 2025 Application deadline—New innovative course and renewal application are due. 
September 2025–April 2026

State Board of Education (SBOE) approves or denies applications. As course applications complete the editorial negotiation process, applications may be placed on the board’s agenda as early as September 2025.

Courses that are approved will be available for implementation beginning with the 2026–2027 school year.
July 1, 2026 PEIMS codes for the 2026–2027 school year are updated for school districts and open-enrollment charters

Innovative Course Sunset Review Process

At its November 2023 meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) amended the 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §74.27 the innovative courses rules to establish a sunset review of innovative courses that meet certain criteria. TEA’s Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division has generated a sunset list of all innovative courses that meet the criteria. The next sunset review will occur during the Spring of 2026.

Sunset Report Rules

The following rules were adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) regarding the criteria of generating the biennial sunset review of existing innovative courses:

Texas Education Agency shall review all approved innovative courses once every two years and provide for consideration for sunset a list of innovative courses that have been approved as an innovative course for at least three years and meet one of the following criteria:   

  • Zero enrollment for the previous two years
  • Average enrollment of less than 100 students statewide for the previous three years
  • Student enrollment at an average of fewer than 20 districts or charter schools statewide for the previous three years
  • Duplicative of another innovative or TEKS-based course
  • Approved for implementation as a TEKS-based course

Questions related to innovative courses may be directed to the Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division by submitting a TEA help desk ticket or contacting the innovative course inbox at innovative.courses@tea.texas.gov. 

Additional Innovative Courses Resources

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Contact Information

Texas Education Agency
1701 North Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701-1401
Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division

For questions or additional information, please submit a Curriculum Request Form through the TEA Help Desk.

   Help Desk  

(512) 463-9581