The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has issued correspondence regarding school systems identified as having high dropout rates. State law requires school districts and open-enrollment charter schools with a high dropout rate, as determined by the commissioner of education, to submit a plan each year describing how the school system will use the Compensatory Education Allotment for developing and implementing strategies for dropout prevention.
To identify school systems with “high dropout rates,” only school systems with dropout rates above their respective accountability group averages were referred to the Division of School Improvement:
- A four-year longitudinal dropout rate above 4.5% for standard accountability school systems; and
- A four-year longitudinal dropout rate above 33.4% for Alternative Education Accountability (AEA) school systems.
The top 25% of standard accountability school systems identified as having a “high dropout rate” are required to submit a Dropout Prevention Plan and Needs Assessment via the Intervention, Stage, and Activity Manager (ISAM) application in TEAL.
- School systems held to standard accountability are required to submit a dropout prevention plan if they have a longitudinal dropout rate greater than or equal to 10.4%.
At a minimum, the dropout prevention plan must include the following items as outlined in TEC, §29.918(d):
- Career and Technology Education courses or technology applications courses that lead to industry or career certification.
- Research-based strategies to assist students in becoming academically able to pursue postsecondary education, including
- Plan to offer advanced academic and transition opportunities, including dual credit courses and college preparatory courses, such as advanced placement courses.
The Dropout Prevention Plan and Needs Assessment found on the TEA Dropout Prevention Plan webpage must be submitted to the Texas Education Agency via the Intervention, Stage, and Activity Manager (ISAM) application in TEAL by November 21, 2025. Note: The portal in TEAL will be available starting November 1, 2025.
The full correspondence can be found here.
