Estimated reading time: 20 minutes
An ARD meeting is a meeting of a student’s admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee, the name Texas gives to the IEP team. In that meeting the committee, parents included, decides whether a student is eligible for special education and develops, reviews or revises the student’s individualized education program (IEP) and placement. This guide covers how an ARD meeting differs from an IEP meeting, who must attend in Texas, including the language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC) member, notice and timeline rules, a sample agenda, the committee’s decisions, disagreements, parent requests, and the 2026 rule changes.
Table of contents
Executive Summary
Texas public schools served 911,342 students in special education programs in 2025-26, 16.7% of enrollment, up from 15.5% the year before, according to TEA. Each of them must have an ARD committee. TEA also counts 23.6% of Texas students as emergent bilingual, which is why the LPAC member on the committee matters.
Federal regulations set the floor. Texas adds firm numbers: five school days of written notice (ten calendar days from July 1, 2027), 30 calendar days from the evaluation report to the eligibility decision, one recess of up to ten school days when a parent disagrees, and a full Spanish translation of the IEP for Spanish-speaking parents. TEA amended its ARD committee and IEP rules effective October 4, 2026, with more changes from July 1, 2027.
Key Takeaways
- The ARD committee is the IEP team defined in federal law, with the duties Texas law adds (19 TAC 89.1050(a)).
- Texas adds members: an LPAC professional for emergent bilingual students, a CTE representative, certified vision or hearing teachers, and a dyslexia specialist.
- Five school days is the Texas notice standard for meeting notices and prior written notice until July 1, 2027, when it becomes ten calendar days, unless parents agree to less.
- Decisions are made by mutual agreement, never by majority vote; a parent who disagrees must be offered one recess of up to ten school days.
- A parent’s written request must lead to a meeting or, within five school days, a written refusal; from July 1, 2027, scheduling options or a refusal within ten school days.
- The rules changed in 2026: annual reviews within 365 days, a detailed service schedule and, from July 1, 2027, ten-calendar-day notices and the IEP copy within ten school days.
What Is an ARD Meeting?
An ARD meeting is the Texas name for an IEP meeting: a meeting of the admission, review, and dismissal committee in which the team determines eligibility and develops, reviews or revises the student’s IEP and placement.
Under 19 TAC 89.1050, each district must establish an ARD committee for each eligible student and for each student who receives a full individual and initial evaluation (FIIE). The rule states that the ARD committee “is the individualized education program (IEP) team defined in federal law and regulations.” The federal rules on membership, parent participation and timelines therefore apply in full; they are explained in our IEP meeting guide, and this page covers what Texas adds.
The name describes three kinds of decisions: admission (initial eligibility, first IEP and placement), review (annual reviews and revisions) and dismissal (ending eligibility, which requires an evaluation unless the student graduates with a regular diploma or ages out, under 34 CFR 300.305(e)).
ARD vs IEP: What Is the Difference?
The ARD committee is the team and the ARD meeting is where it decides; the IEP is the written program it produces. A few Texas terms differ from federal ones:
| Federal term | Texas term | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IEP team | ARD committee | 19 TAC 89.1050(a) |
| Initial evaluation | Full individual and initial evaluation (FIIE) | 19 TAC 89.1011 |
| English learner | Emergent bilingual student | 19 TAC 89.1050(c)(1)(J) |
| IEP case manager or chair | ARD committee manager, facilitator or chair (titles vary) | TEA, ARD Supports |
Who Attends an ARD Meeting in Texas
19 TAC 89.1050(c) repeats the federal members of 34 CFR 300.321 and adds Texas members.
| Member | When required | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Parents | Always | Federal |
| General education teacher | If the student is, or may be, in general education; when practicable, one who implements part of the IEP | Federal |
| Special education teacher or provider | Always; appropriately certified or licensed under 34 CFR 300.156 | Federal |
| District representative and interpreter of evaluation results | Always; one person may fill more than one role | Federal |
| Others with expertise, the student, transition agencies | At the discretion of the parent or district; the student when appropriate; agencies with consent | Federal |
| Career and technical education representative | When considering initial or continued CTE placement; a CTE representative or CTE teacher who knows the district’s CTE programs | Texas |
| LPAC professional staff member | If the student is emergent bilingual | Texas |
| Certified teacher of students with visual impairments | Suspected or documented visual impairment or deaf-blindness | Texas |
| Certified teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing | Suspected or documented hearing loss or deaf-blindness; for deaf-blindness, one deafblind-certified teacher may replace both | Texas |
| Dyslexia professional under TEC 29.0031(b) | Suspected or identified dyslexia, for eligibility decisions | Texas |
Members may be excused only under the federal conditions of 34 CFR 300.321(e). Teacher credentials are covered in our guide to Texas special education certification.
The LPAC Member for Emergent Bilingual Students
For an emergent bilingual student, the committee must include “a professional staff member who is on the language proficiency assessment committee,” who may be the general or special education teacher already at the table (19 TAC 89.1050(c)(1)(J)). That person brings English proficiency data and program history into decisions that could otherwise confuse language development with disability.
TEA’s coordinator manual states that the ARD committee, “in collaboration with the LPAC,” determines whether an emergent bilingual student receiving special education meets the participation requirements for TELPAS Alternate. The LPAC’s own role is explained in our guide to the LPAC committee.
Dyslexia, Vision and Hearing Specialists
When dyslexia is suspected or identified, the eligibility team must include a member with specific knowledge of the reading process, dyslexia and dyslexia instruction (TEC 29.0031(b)). That member holds a dyslexia license or an advanced dyslexia certification recognized by the State Board of Education, or, if neither is available, meets the board’s training requirements, and signs a document describing their participation. The procedures are in our guide to the Texas Dyslexia Handbook.
Texas ARD Meeting Timelines and Notice Rules
Texas counts most ARD deadlines in school days; for the evaluation deadlines, the summer break between spring and fall terms does not count (19 TAC 89.1011(i)).
| Step | Texas rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parent’s written request for an FIIE | Within 15 school days: prior written notice, the procedural safeguards notice, TEA’s Overview of Special Education for Parents and a chance to consent, or written notice of refusal | 19 TAC 89.1011(b) |
| FIIE report | Within 45 school days of written consent, extended if the student misses three or more days | TEC 29.004 |
| Report and Parent’s Guide to the parent | At least five school days before the initial ARD meeting | 19 TAC 89.1011(h); TEC 26.0081(b) |
| Initial eligibility, IEP and placement | Within 30 calendar days of the report; in summer, by the 15th school day of fall | 19 TAC 89.1011(g) |
| Notice of each ARD meeting | At least five school days before (ten calendar days from July 1, 2027), in the parent’s primary language unless clearly not feasible | 19 TAC 89.1050(d), (e), (h) |
| Prior written notice | At least five school days before the district proposes or refuses the action (ten calendar days from July 1, 2027) | 19 TAC 89.1050(i), (j) |
| Annual review | No later than 365 days after the last annual review | 19 TAC 89.1055(b) |
| Copy of the IEP | For IEPs developed or amended from July 1, 2027, within ten school days | 19 TAC 89.1055(cc) |
Notice periods can be shortened only if the parents agree. Federal clocks such as the three-year reevaluation are in the IEP meeting guide.
What Families Receive
- The Notice of Procedural Safeguards (TEA, January 2025 edition); see our guide to Texas procedural safeguards.
- The Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process (January 2025), which TEC 26.0081 requires so parents can “effectively participate.”
- Prior written notice; see our prior written notice examples.
- The IEP in Spanish, written or recorded, when the parent cannot speak English and Spanish is the primary language; a good faith effort for other languages. A summary does not meet the rule (19 TAC 89.1055(bb)).
ARD Meeting Agenda
TEA does not prescribe an agenda; this example adds the Texas steps to the federal one.
- Introductions, confirming the Texas members the student needs, the interpreter and remote participants.
- Purpose and any written excusals.
- Parent concerns and student strengths.
- Present levels with strengths and baseline data for each critical need (19 TAC 89.1055(c)); see PLAAFP examples.
- Goals with a timeframe, condition, behavior and criterion, not restatements of grade-level TEKS (89.1055(d)).
- Services with frequency, duration, location and average minutes outside general education (89.1055(e), (f)).
- State assessments: STAAR or STAAR Alternate 2; TELPAS or TELPAS Alternate with the LPAC member.
- Texas considerations: autism strategies (89.1055(l)), dyslexia, transition from 14, graduation.
- Placement in the least restrictive environment.
- Agreement check: ask each required member; if the parent disagrees, offer the recess.
- Next steps: decisions read back, prior written notice date, translated IEP.
Decisions the ARD Committee Makes in Texas
19 TAC 89.1050(a) lists 20 groups of functions, from evaluations and placement to accelerated instruction, extracurricular activities and state assessment. Five come up in most meetings.
STAAR Alternate 2 and State Assessments
TEA’s STAAR Alternate 2 participation requirements form (August 2026 version) says the committee “must understand all assessment options,” and that the test “may be considered only for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.” A student eligible under a specific learning disability, or whose only disability is a speech impairment, stops at step one. If the student will not take the general test, the IEP must explain why and why the alternate is appropriate (19 TAC 89.1055(i)), and goals need at least two short-term objectives (89.1055(d)(2)). Details are in our guide to STAAR Alt 2.
Dyslexia Services in the IEP
For dyslexia, the IEP documents the eligibility decision, the need for “evidence-based dyslexia instruction, which is a special education service,” the dyslexia member’s signature, and the notice to parents about the Talking Book Program (19 TAC 89.1055(n)). A district may not identify a disability only in basic reading or fluency to avoid these requirements (89.1055(q)). From July 1, 2027, the IEP also names the program, its components and a fully trained provider.
Transition Planning From Age 14
Texas starts two years before the federal rule. By the first IEP in effect at age 14, the committee must address a list of Texas topics, from postsecondary options and agency referrals to supported decision-making, and write measurable postsecondary goals (19 TAC 89.1055(u), (v)). See transition IEP goals.
Graduation Decisions
Under 19 TAC 89.1070(b), the ARD committee can determine that satisfactory performance on end-of-course assessments is not required for graduation, under conditions the rule sets, and can approve graduation through modified curriculum with IEP-based conditions. Document the reasoning each time.
Discipline and Manifestation Determination
In Texas, the manifestation determination is an ARD committee meeting held within ten school days of a decision to change placement for a conduct violation (TEA’s Parent’s Guide). See our guide to manifestation determination, and involve district counsel when facts are disputed.
When ARD Committee Members Disagree
Texas law rules out voting: “Majority vote may not be used to determine the individualized education program” (TEC 29.005(b)). 19 TAC 89.1055(z) sets the process instead.
- Mutual agreement if possible. TEA’s Parent’s Guide calls this consensus and adds that the school “has the ultimate responsibility” to include the services the student needs.
- One recess for the parent who disagrees, reconvening within ten school days unless both sides agree otherwise, at a mutually agreed time and place.
- Work during the recess: members “must consider alternatives, gather additional data, prepare further documentation, and/or obtain additional resource persons.”
- If agreement still fails, the district implements, after prior written notice, the IEP it has determined appropriate, unless the disagreement involves the initial provision of services, which requires parental consent.
- Statements of disagreement may be added by any member, and the IEP shows whether the parent and the district representative agreed (89.1055(z)(4), (aa)).
The recess is not required when the student’s presence presents a danger of physical harm, or after an expellable offense or one that may lead to a disciplinary alternative education program placement.
Facilitated ARD Meetings
A district may offer IEP facilitation at no cost to parents: a trained, neutral facilitator with no decision-making authority helps the committee reach agreement (TEC 29.019; 19 TAC 89.1196). Since June 18, 2026, TEA provides independent facilitators on a joint request made at least ten school days before a meeting, to prevent a dispute, or within ten school days of a meeting that ended in disagreement (19 TAC 89.1197).
Parent Requests and Changes Between Meetings
On a parent’s written request, the district must either convene an ARD meeting under the usual notice rules or, within five school days, explain its refusal in writing, in the parent’s primary language unless clearly not feasible (19 TAC 89.1050(f), (h)). From July 1, 2027, it must instead answer within ten school days with scheduling options or a written refusal (89.1050(g)). Parents and the district may also amend an IEP in writing without a meeting, but TEA’s Parent’s Guide specifies that eligibility changes, placement changes and manifestation determinations require an ARD meeting.
ARD Meetings for Transfer Students in Texas
When a student with an IEP transfers to a Texas district during the school year, the new district must provide comparable services and, within 20 school days of receiving a copy of the previous IEP, adopt that IEP or develop, adopt and implement a new one; a student from another state gets a new IEP, after a full individual and initial evaluation (FIIE) if the district finds one necessary (19 TAC 89.1055(dd)). The ARD committee carries out these steps, since it holds the IEP team’s duties under 34 CFR 300.320-300.325 (89.1050(a)(1)); the federal transfer rules are in our IEP meeting guide.
| Situation | Texas rule |
|---|---|
| Move within Texas | Adopt the previous IEP, or develop, adopt and implement a new one, within 20 school days |
| Move from another state | If the district finds it necessary, an FIIE, an eligibility decision and, if appropriate, a new IEP on the FIIE timelines above; otherwise a new IEP within 20 school days |
| Registration over the summer | The same rules, depending on whether the student comes from Texas or another state |
| When the clock starts | The first school day after the district receives a copy of the IEP in effect in the previous district |
| Absences | If the student misses three or more days during the 20 school days, the period may be extended by the number of days missed (added October 4, 2026) |
| Services meanwhile | Comparable services, in consultation with the parents, including extended school year services if the previous IEP lists them or the district has reason to believe the student would be eligible |
Records run on a clock too. The previous district must send the student’s records, special education records included, by the 10th working day after it receives the request (TEC 25.002, cited in 89.1055(dd)(5)). If the new district still has no copy of the IEP by the 15th working day after its request, it must ask the parent for one. If the parent cannot provide it, the district keeps trying to obtain the records and, while it waits, takes reasonable steps to provide services comparable to those the previous district has described.
What Changed in the 2026 ARD Rules
TEA amended 19 TAC 89.1050 and 89.1055 effective October 4, 2026 (51 TexReg 6720), citing House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 568 of 2025. Compared with the version in effect from July 30, 2024, the IEP rule now requires:
- An annual review within 365 days of the last one.
- Present levels with defined content, including baseline data for each critical need.
- A service schedule with start date, frequency, duration and location, and the time spent in and out of general education.
- District procedures to document delivered services and make up missed ones.
- At least two short-term objectives per goal when objectives are used.
From July 1, 2027, meeting notices and prior written notice move to ten calendar days, each objective needs all four goal components, the IEP copy is due within ten school days, and new documentation applies to dyslexia, dysgraphia and services billed to the SHARS Medicaid program. TEA’s January 2025 Parent’s Guide predates these amendments.
Funding and Staffing
| Source | What it supports | Note |
|---|---|---|
| IDEA Part B | Special education and related services | Federal formula funds |
| FIIE allotment | $1,000 per initial evaluation, or more if appropriated | TEC 48.159, from September 1, 2025 |
| State special education allotment | Funding by tiers of intensity of service and service groups | TEC 48.102, 48.1021, from September 1, 2026; at least 55% spent in the program |
| IDEA CEIS (up to 15% of Part B) | Support for students not identified | As summarized by TEA |
| Local funds | Interpreters, translated IEPs, facilitation training | Cooperatives such as TIPS simplify purchasing |
Sources: TEC Chapter 48; TEA, Requirements of Coordinated Early Intervening Services. Staffing is the harder constraint: special education is a teacher shortage area approved for Texas for 2026-2027, and the Learning Policy Institute’s 2026 overview shows 45 states reporting special education teacher shortages in 2024-25.
Common Mistakes District Leaders Make
- Running a Texas meeting on federal rules alone. The LPAC, CTE, dyslexia, vision and hearing members are Texas requirements.
- Mixing school and calendar days. Most Texas deadlines are school days; notices switch to ten calendar days on July 1, 2027.
- Calling a vote. TEC 29.005(b) prohibits it.
- Offering the recess informally. Document the offer, the answer and the reconvene date.
- Translating a summary. A Spanish IEP must be complete.
- Letting annual reviews drift past 365 days.
- Training on outdated citations. The 2026 amendments re-lettered much of 89.1050 and 89.1055.
Recommended Actions
- Update ARD forms and training to the October 2026 rules, and plan for the July 1, 2027 items.
- Add an attendance check to every notice: emergent bilingual status, dyslexia, vision, hearing, CTE.
- Track every deadline in one calendar: 15, 45, 30, five, ten and 365 days.
- Write a recess protocol covering the offer, the ten-day limit and the work done during the recess.
- Budget full IEP translations and interpreters for Spanish-speaking parents.
- Train ARD chairs in facilitation skills, which 19 TAC 89.1196(b) allows without a formal facilitator.
Questions District Leaders Should Ask
- How many ARD meetings for emergent bilingual students last year had an LPAC member present?
- What share of annual reviews happened within 365 days of the previous one?
- How many meetings ended in a recess, and how many reconvened within ten school days?
- How long does a Spanish-speaking parent wait for the full translated IEP?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an ARD stand for?
ARD stands for admission, review, and dismissal. The ARD committee is the Texas name for the IEP team: it decides whether a student is admitted to special education, reviews and revises the IEP at least every 365 days, and decides when a student is dismissed, which requires an evaluation unless the student graduates with a regular diploma or ages out.
What is an ARD meeting?
An ARD meeting is a meeting of a student’s admission, review, and dismissal committee, the Texas equivalent of an IEP meeting. Parents and school staff determine eligibility, write or revise the IEP, decide placement and state assessment participation, and plan transition for older students. Texas requires written notice at least five school days before (ten calendar days from July 1, 2027), unless the parents agree to a shorter timeframe.
Can a parent request an ARD meeting in Texas?
Yes. After a parent’s written request, the district must either schedule and convene the meeting under the usual notice rules or, within five school days, give written notice explaining why it refuses (19 TAC 89.1050(f)). The notice must be in the parent’s primary language unless that is clearly not feasible. From July 1, 2027, the district has ten school days to offer scheduling options or refuse in writing. Putting the request in writing creates a clear record.
Who attends an ARD meeting in Texas?
The parents, a general education teacher, a special education teacher or provider, a district representative, someone who can interpret evaluation results, and others invited by either side, including the student when appropriate. Texas adds an LPAC member for emergent bilingual students, a CTE representative when CTE placement is considered, certified vision or hearing teachers when needed, and a dyslexia professional.
What is the difference between an ARD and IEP?
The ARD committee is the team, and the IEP is the document it writes. Texas rule states that the ARD committee is the IEP team defined in federal law, so an ARD meeting is an IEP meeting with Texas requirements added, such as extra members, five-school-day notices, the recess rule, Spanish translation of the IEP and transition planning from age 14.
How to become an ARD facilitator?
The title covers two roles. An ARD committee manager or facilitator is a district staff member who schedules and leads meetings; TEA’s special education support site offers ARD committee manager training. An IEP facilitator is a neutral dispute resolution role: under 19 TAC 89.1196, facilitators need knowledge of special education law and the ARD process plus 18 hours of training in facilitation, consensus building or conflict resolution.
How long does a Texas district have to adopt a transfer student’s IEP?
Twenty school days, counted from the first school day after the new district receives a copy of the IEP in effect in the previous district, whether the student moves within Texas or from another state without needing an evaluation (19 TAC 89.1055(dd)). If the student misses three or more days, the period may be extended by the days missed. When the district decides an out-of-state student needs a full individual and initial evaluation, the FIIE timelines apply instead. Comparable services continue meanwhile.
Can AI help prepare for an ARD meeting?
AI tools can help staff turn notes into a draft agenda, list which Texas deadlines apply to a meeting, or rewrite a progress summary in plain language before it is translated. Leave out student names and anything identifiable, follow district data rules, and keep every decision with the committee in the meeting. The ChatGPT for teachers guide explains safe prompting.
Related Resources
- Texas Dyslexia Handbook
- STAAR Alt 2
- Texas Procedural Safeguards
- Texas Special Education Certification
- IEP Meeting Guide
- LPAC Committee
Conclusion
An ARD meeting is an IEP meeting with a Texas rulebook on top: more members at the table, deadlines in school days, no votes, one structured recess when a parent disagrees, and a full translation for Spanish-speaking families. Districts that update their forms now, check attendance against each student’s needs and use the recess to find agreement will run meetings that hold up for families and for TEA monitoring.
Sources: 19 TAC Chapter 89, Subchapter AA, Commissioner’s Rules Concerning Special Education Services (TEA, October 2026 update); Texas Register, adopted amendments to 19 TAC 89.1050 and 89.1055 (51 TexReg 6720, September 25, 2026); TEA, Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process (January 2025); TEA, Notice of Procedural Safeguards (January 2025); TEA, ARD Supports; Texas Education Code, Chapter 29; Texas Education Code, Section 26.0081; TEA, Enrollment in Texas Public Schools, 2025-26 (June 2026); TEA, STAAR Alternate 2 Participation Requirements (August 2026); TEA, District and Campus Coordinator Resources, TELPAS Alternate Participation Requirements; TEA, Teacher Shortage Areas 2026-2027. Other sources are linked where they are cited.
Join the 2027 Special Education Pilot
An ARD committee can agree on an ambitious goal in a single meeting, but the student reaches it only through many repetitions of practice between reviews, and adult 1-on-1 time is scarce on every campus. Telo AI is being adapted for students with IEPs: patient, 1-on-1 practice aligned to each student’s IEP goals. We are inviting districts to shape it with us in a 2027 pilot.
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