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State Waiver Types - General

This page outlines information on the various general waivers available through TEA.

Course Requirement

This waiver allows districts and charter schools to request a waiver to substitute a particular course or courses for state credit within the curriculum. The commissioner of education is prohibited from exempting essential knowledge and skills under Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.002 or minimum graduation requirements under TEC §28.025.

To determine if the course substitution is allowable:

  • For career and technical education (CTE) courses, contact the CTE unit in the Department of College, Career, and Military Preparation at (512) 936—6060.
  • For all other courses, contact the Division of Curriculum at (512) 463—9581.
  • This waiver request may be approved for up to three years.

Course Requirement — Career and Technical Education

This waiver allows districts and charter schools to request a waiver of the Texas Administrative Code to offer a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course for a credit length other than that specified in the code.

Foreign Exchange Student (Less than Five)

This waiver allows districts and charter schools to limit the number of foreign exchange students to five or less per high school. A request to limit the number to five or more per high school must be submitted as an expedited waiver application (TEC §25.021(e)).

  • The approval of this waiver is not retroactive. It takes effect on the date that the agency approves the application.
  • The districts and charter schools must enroll foreign exchange students who arrive in the district or who request enrollment in the district before the waiver approval date.

Foreign Exchange Student Waiver Guidelines

Foreign Exchange Student Waiver FAQ's

Pregnancy Related Services On—Campus

This waiver allows districts and charter schools to request a waiver to offer Pregnancy—Related Services Compensatory Education Home Instruction (CEHI) on a district's campus. Special education students who qualify for Pregnancy Related Services (PRS) may also receive homebound instruction on campus if the district has an approved on—campus instruction waiver. The waiver is not required for students receiving full—day instruction in a remote setting. The requirements of the waiver are as follows:

  • Provide transportation as needed.
  • Serve students at home if medically indicated.
  • Do not exceed student—teacher ratio of four students to one teacher.
  • Do not use self—paced computer based instruction to fulfill the four hours of CEHI.

Certification

This waiver allows an individual to serve without the necessary certification requirements.

Certification for Teachers

Listed below are certification description types:

  • Allows a person to teach without the necessary certification requirements.
  • Allows qualified individuals to teach outside their areas of certification in Career and Technical Education (CTE).
  • Allows qualified individuals to teach outside their areas of certification in a subject or course for which no state assessment has been developed.
  • Allows qualified individuals to teach outside their areas of certification in Alternative Education.
  • Allows qualified individuals to teach ROTC classes outside their areas of certification. 

Certification for Superintendent

Allows an individual to serve as superintendent without the necessary certification requirements.

Other as Specified

If your district or charter school would like to apply for one of the waivers described below, please select "Other" from the Waiver/Exception Application Type drop down menu.

Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) Course Review Process Waiver

All courses made available through the Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) must be reviewed and approved prior to being offered. Eligible school districts and open—enrollment charter schools may apply to the commissioner of education for a waiver from the TXVSN course review process that is administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). A waiver may be requested from the TXVSN course review process only. Each course is still required to meet all TXVSN course standards and requirements.

To request a waiver to the TXVSN course review process, the district or charter school authorized official must certify that each course meets all TXVSN course standards and requirements and complete the TEA waiver submission process through the TEAL system.

Instructions to Request a Waiver to the TXVSN Course Review Process

TXVSN Course Review Waiver Request Assurance Statements

Other Miscellaneous

Any miscellaneous waivers that do not fit into any other category may be applied for as an "other".

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