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Special Education Day and Residential Programs

Contact Information

 ESC Special Education Contacts

TEA Residential and Day Programs and High Cost Funds Team

SpedDayAndResidential@tea.texas.gov

HCF@tea.texas.gov

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment

DayProgramFunding@tea.texas.gov

TEA Grants Administration Division 

grants@tea.texas.gov  

Announcements and Updates (5)

Office Hours: Expanded Minimum Standards for Contracted Day and Residential Placement Programs

TEA is offering two office hours sessions to support stakeholder implementation of the new Minimum Standards and Conditions for TEA Consideration to Operate as a Day or Residential Placement Program.

Office Hours Session #1: July 23, 2-3 p.m.

Office Hours Session #2: August 12, 11 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  

(TEA has expanded minimum standards for day and residential placement programs that serve public school students with disabilities placed pursuant to an ARD committee determination for the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE). These standards are anticipated to be adopted through rulemaking in September 2026 and will take effect for the 2026–2027 school year. More information about minimum standards and conditions is availble on this website.) 

Day and Residential Programs Summer Workshop

Please see the agenda and  (also printed in the agenda) for the 2026 TEA Special Education Day and Residential Programs Summer Workshop, held virtually by Zoom on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

Session topics, presented by members of the TEA SPED Day and Residential Programs team, include:

-Minimum standards for day/residential program providers

-Day/residential program approval process updates

-Day placement program cooperative funding allotment

-Legislative updates and new LEA/provider requirements

-Program resources overview and updates

Sessions are open to both LEA/ESC representatives, and to day and residential program providers. A recommended audience for each session is listed in the agenda.

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, House Bill 2 (HB 2), passed by the 89th Texas Legislature, authorized TEA to award funds to qualifying day placement programs. Additional information is available in the To the Administator Addressed Correspondance dated May 14, 2026 and in the information and guidance section below.  

APEX Applications

The 2025-2026 APEX application opened for beginning-of-year submissions on 9/2/2025. The beginning-of-year submission deadline (for continuing placements, summer placements, and beginning-of-year placements) was 10/3/2025. All other APEX applications are due within 30 days of student placement/change of placement.

About Special Education Day and Residential Programs

A local education agency (LEA) may contract for a day or residential placement when a student’s admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee determines that placement is necessary for the student to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) entitles a student with a disability to a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. When a student has educational needs that cannot be met in a public school setting, that student can be educated in a private school or facility at public expense. A student’s admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee must determine that the school district or charter school cannot provide the student with the special education instruction and related services necessary to meet the student’s unique needs for that student to be educated in a day or residential program.

The LEA is responsible for ensuring students placed in or referred to day or residential programs are provided with special education and related services that meet federal and state special education program requirements under 19 Texas Administrative Code §89.1092 (for educational residential placements), and 19 TAC §89.1094 (for day placements). Placement in a day or residential program is considered a more segregated educational environment than placement in a public school setting. Federal regulations and State Board of Education/Commissioner’s rules protect the rights of students in such placements. Day and residential programs that provide special education are monitored by TEA to ensure compliance with federal and state standards.

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, House Bill 2 (HB 2), passed by the 89th Texas Legislature, authorized TEA to award funds to qualifying day placement programs. 

Program Application and Guidance Documents 

 

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment Application Instructions (PDF)

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment Application Rubric

Minimum Standards and Conditions for TEA Consideration to Operate as a Day or Residential Placement Program

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment Guidelines

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment - May 2026 TEA Special Education Webinar 

Program Terminology/Definitions - coming soon 

Program Technical Assistance 

Day Placement Program Cooperative Funding Allotment Office Hours for application help and/or questions will be held on: 

 

To register for office hours, please click on the dates and times above. 

Please contact DayProgramFunding@tea.texas.gov with questions. 

 

 

Program Guidance

Day/Residential Program Guidance
Annual Updates

 

 

APEX Application

APEX User Manual  
APEX Quick Start
APEX How-To
APEX Application Checklist
Sample Cost Analysis

 

 

Day and Residential Funding

Notification Requirements

Funding Explanations

Day
Residential

Residential Reimbursement

Reimbursement Guidelines
Viewing Reimbursement

 

 

Day and Residential Programs



Age/Disability Standards
Preliminary Approval Guide

 

 

Day and Residential Monitoring

LEA Assurance Checklist
Student Folder Review
Teacher Cert Verification

 

 

Reintegration Planning

Recommended Plan

Reintegration Planning Guidance

| PDF Version
Reintegration Guidance

 

 

Other Helpful Links

High Cost Funds

Non-educational Community-Based Support Services