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Public Information Requests

The Public Information Act (PIA) gives the public the right to request access to government information.  The request must ask for information already in existence. The PIA does not require TEA to create new information, perform legal searches, or answer general questions.
 
Members of the media should send general inquiries that are not formal public information requests to the Communications Division at (512) 463-9000 or MediaRelations@tea.texas.gov. 

Certificate, transcript and verification requests for High School Equivalency assessments, formerly known as the GED, may be sent to TEA’s Texas Initiatives unit.

General assistance and general questions may be emailed to GeneralInquiry@tea.texas.gov.

To Request Information

Before you submit a public information request, please review our website. The information you are seeking may be available on the TEA website or through one of the contacts listed above.

To request information from TEA, submit your request:

Online: Online Request Form, which sends requests directly to the designated PIR email address.  

By mail or in person to:

Texas Education Agency
Public Information Request Office
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701

By email to: pir@tea.texas.gov 
 
By fax to: (512) 463-1022

If you have questions regarding submitted public information requests, please call (512) 463-3464.

If you need special accommodation pursuant to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact our Public Information Request Office at (512) 463-3464.

Student Records

Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), requests for student records require the submission of a written consent form (PDF, 188 KB). Note: Only student information from specified school years to the present is available. TEA Maintains only selected student data.

Student records for Texas public schools only that are maintained by TEA include:

High School Graduation Information from 1990-91 to present (TEA DOES NOT have diplomas)

  • Confirmation of Texas graduation/ Date Graduated (NOTE: Other leaver records, including dropping out for Grades 7-12, will also be provided.)
  • Course Information from 1992-93 to present (TEA DOES NOT have transcripts)
    Student course information for grades 9-12 for regular fall and spring semesters only
  • Attendance Information from 1992-93 to present (Only available for the regular fall and spring semesters; no summer school or correspondence courses)
  • A list of Texas schools and the years the student attended. 

The following student request should be made directly to the office that maintains the information:

Requests for Certificate of High School Equivalency (TxCHSE) – the GED test, the HiSET exam and the TASC test, please visit the Certificate of High School Equivalency Information webpage or call (512) 463-7162 for assistance.

Sending Files Securely to TEA

A requestor who needs to send confidential information to the Texas Education Agency for request processing should do so through ShareFile:
 

You may transfer the information to TEA securely. This link is only for public information request correspondence. If you are corresponding with another office in the agency, please contact that office to obtain information about the submission of documents to their office.

Be sure to enter your e-mail address and name once you have accessed the link.  Create a file containing all of the information needed to search for the records you seek.  You may need to include or create multiple files for copies of identification, or confidential identifiers such as dates of birth, student names, social security information/numerical identifiers, or consent forms if you are a third party requestor.  Then, follow the directions to upload your file(s).

Additional Resources

  • Tips for making a public information request (outside source)
  • Lev de Información Pública (outside source)
  • Open Government Hotline
    Staff can answer questions about the Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act.
    (512) 478-OPEN (6736) or (877) OPEN-TEX (673-6839)

  • Open Government Cost Hotline
    Staff can answer questions about charges relating to the Public Information Act.
    (512) 475-2497 or (888) OR-COSTS (672-6787)

For questions, complaints and enforcement of the Public Information Act, contact the Attorney General Open Records Division.

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