English Learners in Texas: A District Leader’s Guide to Emergent Bilinguals

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

English Learners in Texas are officially called Emergent Bilinguals (EBs), and Texas runs one of the largest and most distinctive English learner systems in the country, built on its own standards (the ELPS) and its own assessment (TELPAS) rather than the WIDA system most states use. For district leaders, that means Texas-specific rules for identification, instruction, assessment, and funding. This guide explains how Texas serves Emergent Bilinguals, the ELPS and TELPAS, program requirements, funding, and the major standards change arriving in 2026-2027.

Executive Summary

Texas serves more than one million Emergent Bilingual students, roughly one in five of its public school enrollment, the largest EB population of any state. Texas is not a WIDA state: it uses the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS), overseen by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

Three things define how English Learners in Texas are served. First, the terminology and framework are Texas-specific (Emergent Bilingual, ELPS, TELPAS). Second, Texas mandates bilingual education in many elementary settings, not just ESL. Third, a major change is coming: the State Board of Education adopted new ELPS in 2024, moving from four to five proficiency levels, effective in classrooms in 2026-2027 with transition-year assessments. Districts that plan for this shift now will be ahead.

Key Takeaways

• English Learners in Texas are officially called “Emergent Bilinguals” (EBs).
• Texas uses ELPS and TELPAS, not WIDA.
• More than one million EBs attend Texas schools, about one in five students.
• Bilingual education is required in many elementary settings (not only ESL).
• New ELPS (five levels) take effect 2026-2027, with transition-year assessments.
• Speaking is the hardest domain to scale, the same structural gap as everywhere.

What Is an Emergent Bilingual in Texas?

An Emergent Bilingual (EB) is the term Texas uses for a student whose primary language is not English and who is in the process of acquiring English. Texas adopted “Emergent Bilingual” in state law to replace “English Language Learner,” emphasizing bilingualism as an asset. Functionally, EB is Texas’s equivalent of an English Learner under federal law.

Quick answer: in Texas, “Emergent Bilingual” is the official term for an English Learner, used in the ELPS, TELPAS, and state policy.

The ELPS: Texas English Language Proficiency Standards

The English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) define the English language skills Emergent Bilinguals are expected to develop across listening, speaking, reading, and writing, integrated into instruction in every subject. The ELPS are the Texas equivalent of WIDA’s English language development standards. For a deeper explanation, see our guide to the ELPS.

Important update: the State Board of Education adopted revised ELPS in 2024. The new standards move from four proficiency levels to five and take effect in classrooms in the 2026-2027 school year, with transition-year assessments in 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. Until then, the current four-level descriptors remain in use for assessment.

TELPAS: How Texas Measures English Proficiency

The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is the annual assessment of EB students’ English proficiency in grades K-12. It measures four domains, listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and currently reports four proficiency ratings.

For how the ratings are produced, see TELPAS scoring explained, and for how TELPAS compares to the system most other states use, see TELPAS vs WIDA.

Program Requirements for English Learners in Texas

Texas law requires districts to provide language programs for Emergent Bilinguals, and the type depends on numbers. When a district enrolls 20 or more EBs in the same grade level who share a language other than English, it must offer a bilingual education program in elementary grades. Otherwise, and at secondary levels, districts provide an English as a Second Language (ESL) program. For the full picture, see Texas English Learner requirements.

Identification and Reclassification

EBs are identified through a home language survey and an oral language proficiency test at enrollment. Each year, TELPAS measures progress. Students exit (are reclassified) when they meet state criteria, which combine TELPAS results, typically reaching Advanced High, with other academic measures. For how growth is tracked, see measuring language growth in Texas.

Funding for English Learners in Texas

Texas EB programs draw on both federal and state funding.

For the federal side, see Title III funding in Texas.

District Benchmark

Translate the scale. A Texas district of 10,000 students at the state EB rate serves roughly 2,000 Emergent Bilinguals, a far larger share than the national average. TELPAS data across that population almost always shows speaking lagging the other domains, because speaking is the hardest skill to practice in a full classroom. With a bilingual-education mandate and a large EB population, Texas districts feel the capacity constraint more acutely than most, which raises the value of anything that scales individual practice.

The Speaking Time Gap in Texas

Whatever the standards are called, Texas runs into the Speaking Time Gap: the shortfall between the speaking practice an Emergent Bilingual needs and what one teacher can provide across a full class.

The math: a teacher with 25 students in a 45-minute block has 1,125 student-minutes and can hold a responsive conversation with one student at a time, leaving each EB only minutes of individual speaking practice per day. TELPAS speaking ratings reflect that shortage. Closing the gap means adding individual speaking practice that scales beyond the teacher, which matters even more given the size of Texas’s EB population.

Common Mistakes District Leaders Make

1. Applying WIDA assumptions. Texas uses ELPS and TELPAS, with different levels and rules.
2. Ignoring the 2026-2027 ELPS change. Not preparing for five levels and new descriptors.
3. Underusing the Bilingual Education Allotment. Leaving state EB funding on the table.
4. Reading only TELPAS composites. Missing the speaking domain that lags.
5. Treating EBs as a deficit. The “Emergent Bilingual” framing centers bilingualism as an asset.

Recommended Actions

Immediate (this month): Review your TELPAS data by domain and confirm your bilingual/ESL programs meet the enrollment thresholds.

Medium-term (this year): Plan for the 2026-2027 ELPS transition and target the speaking domain with added individual practice.

Long-term (strategy): Use Title III and the Bilingual Education Allotment to fund scalable practice, and manage EB programs on growth and reclassification rates.

Questions District Leaders Should Ask

• What does our TELPAS data show by domain, especially speaking?
• Are we ready for the new five-level ELPS in 2026-2027?
• Do our programs meet Texas bilingual/ESL requirements?
• Are we fully using the Bilingual Education Allotment and Title III?
• How much individual speaking practice does each EB get per day?

Bilingual and ESL Program Models in Detail

Texas approves six state program models under 19 TAC Chapter 89, Subchapter BB: four bilingual models and two English as a Second Language (ESL) models. Which model a district must offer depends on enrollment. When a district enrolls 20 or more Emergent Bilinguals in the same grade level who share a language other than English, it must provide a bilingual education program in prekindergarten through grade 5 (grade 6 when grouped with elementary). Below that threshold, and at secondary levels, the district provides an ESL program. See the full picture in our guide to Texas English Learner requirements.

The four bilingual models differ mainly in how long students stay in the program and how much of the partner language is used. In the two Dual Language Immersion (DLI) models, instruction in the partner language never falls below 50 percent of total instructional time, according to TEA rule. Districts choose based on their EB population, staffing, and biliteracy goals.

Districts that cannot staff a required bilingual program may file a bilingual education exception, and those that cannot staff a required ESL program may file an ESL waiver, both through TEA. These are time-limited and require a plan to build capacity, not a permanent exemption from serving Emergent Bilinguals. For dual-language programs specifically, TEA rules protect EB access: students may not be denied a one-way or two-way DLI placement based on their achievement in either the partner language or English.

How Reclassification Works in Texas

Reclassification, often called exiting, is the point at which a student is no longer served as an Emergent Bilingual. In Texas the decision is made by the campus Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC), not by a single test score. The LPAC reviews multiple state-set measures together, which typically include the student’s TELPAS composite rating (generally reaching Advanced High), performance on the reading portion of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) or an approved alternate, and additional evidence such as teacher input on the student’s ability to access grade-level instruction in English.

After a student exits, Texas requires the LPAC to monitor academic progress for two years to confirm the student remains successful without language program support. If a monitored student struggles, the LPAC can re-enter the student into services. This two-year monitoring window is a common compliance gap for districts, and it is worth auditing alongside your exit data. For how districts track progress toward these criteria, see measuring language growth in Texas.

Preparing for the 2026-2027 ELPS Transition

The State Board of Education adopted revised English Language Proficiency Standards in 2024. The most visible change is the move from four proficiency levels to five, effective in classrooms in the 2026-2027 school year, with transition-year assessments planned for 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. The current four-level TELPAS descriptors (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, Advanced High) remain in use for assessment until the transition is complete. For the underlying standards, see our guide to the ELPS, and for how ratings are produced, see what TELPAS measures.

A five-level scale changes how growth is reported and how cut points map to instruction and reclassification. District leaders can prepare now without waiting for every operational detail:

• Audit current data by domain. Establish a clear baseline under the four-level system so year-over-year comparisons through the transition are meaningful, especially for the speaking domain.
• Plan professional development. Teachers and LPAC members will need to understand the new descriptors and how they map to daily instruction across all four language domains.
• Revisit reclassification workflows. Confirm how a five-level scale interacts with your LPAC exit criteria so the 2026-2027 cohort is not disadvantaged during the transition.
• Budget for the shift. The Bilingual Education Allotment can fund the professional development this transition requires.

The Bilingual Education Allotment and Title III Together

Texas Emergent Bilingual programs draw on two distinct funding streams, and district leaders get the most value by understanding what each is designed to do. State funding flows through the Bilingual Education Allotment (BEA) under Texas Education Code §48.105, a weighted per-student allotment that districts receive for each eligible EB served in an approved bilingual or ESL program. Federal funding flows through Title III, Part A, a formula grant administered by TEA to supplement, not supplant, EB and immigrant student services.

The BEA carries specific spending rules. TEA requires that at least 55 percent of BEA funds be spent on the direct costs of bilingual and special language programs, and at least 10 percent be used for professional development that supports EB instruction. These requirements make the BEA a natural source for the training that the 2026-2027 ELPS transition will demand. Because Title III is supplemental, it should fund services beyond what state and local dollars already cover, rather than replacing them.

For the federal side in more depth, see Title III funding in Texas. Districts that map spending intentionally, using the BEA for core program and required training and reserving Title III for genuinely supplemental support, are the ones that avoid leaving state EB dollars unspent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Emergent Bilingual in Texas?

An Emergent Bilingual (EB) is Texas’s official term for an English Learner: a student whose primary language is not English and who is acquiring English. Texas adopted the term in state law to frame bilingualism as an asset.

Does Texas use WIDA?

No. Texas uses its own English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and the TELPAS assessment, overseen by the Texas Education Agency, rather than the WIDA system used by most states.

What is TELPAS?

TELPAS is the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System, the annual test of Emergent Bilinguals’ English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, currently reporting four ratings: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Advanced High.

What is changing with the ELPS in 2026-2027?

Texas adopted revised ELPS in 2024 that move from four to five proficiency levels, effective in classrooms in 2026-2027 with transition-year assessments in 2026-2027 and 2027-2028. The current four-level descriptors remain in use until the transition.

How many Emergent Bilinguals are in Texas?

More than one million, roughly one in five public school students, the largest Emergent Bilingual population of any state.

What bilingual program models does Texas offer?

Texas approves four bilingual models (Transitional Bilingual Early-Exit, Transitional Bilingual Late-Exit, Dual Language Immersion One-Way, and Dual Language Immersion Two-Way) and two ESL models (content-based and pull-out). A bilingual program is required in elementary grades when 20 or more Emergent Bilinguals in the same grade share a language other than English.

How do students exit EB services in Texas?

A campus Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) reclassifies a student using multiple state criteria together, typically a TELPAS rating of Advanced High, a qualifying reading score on STAAR or an approved alternate, and additional evidence. After exit, the LPAC monitors the student’s progress for two years.

What is the Bilingual Education Allotment?

The Bilingual Education Allotment (BEA) is Texas state funding under Texas Education Code §48.105, provided as a weighted amount for each eligible Emergent Bilingual served in an approved program. TEA requires at least 55 percent of BEA funds to be spent on direct program costs and at least 10 percent on professional development.

Can districts use the BEA and Title III together?

Yes. The BEA is state funding for core bilingual and ESL programs and required professional development, while Title III is federal funding that must supplement, not supplant, existing services. Used together, they let districts fund core instruction with state dollars and add supplemental support with federal dollars.

Related Resources

• What Is TELPAS?
• ELPS Explained
• TELPAS vs WIDA
• Title III Funding in Texas
• Complete Guide to English Learners in U.S. Schools
• Complete Guide to WIDA

Conclusion

Texas serves more Emergent Bilinguals than any other state, through its own standards and assessment: the ELPS and TELPAS. District leaders who understand how English Learners in Texas are served, prepare for the 2026-2027 move to five proficiency levels, use both federal and state EB funding, and act on the speaking gap TELPAS reveals are the ones whose Emergent Bilinguals reach proficiency and reclassify on time.

Sources: Texas Education Agency, TELPAS Proficiency Standards; TEA, English Learner / Emergent Bilingual Support; Texas Education Agency, txel.org.

Reaching Every Emergent Bilingual at Texas Scale

In many Texas districts, Emergent Bilinguals are not a small subgroup but roughly a fifth of enrollment, and TELPAS data across that population almost always shows the same pattern: speaking trailing listening, reading, and writing. Teachers in bilingual and ESL classrooms are already stretched across large numbers of students at very different proficiency levels.

The reason speaking lags is structural, not a matter of effort: it has to be produced one student at a time, while the other domains can be practiced by a whole class at once. With so many Emergent Bilinguals per teacher and a bilingual-education mandate to honor, no staffing plan leaves each student enough responsive practice in a day, and the 2026-2027 move to five ELPS levels only sharpens the need to differentiate.

This is why a growing number of Texas districts are looking to extend their teachers’ reach with tools that add individual practice aligned to the ELPS, and, because bilingual programs are central here, practice that supports students in Spanish as well as English. Telo AI is one example of that approach.

See how Texas districts give every Emergent Bilingual individual practice aligned to the ELPS: https://mytelo.ai/how-telo-works/

Directed at the domain TELPAS keeps flagging, that practice is what lets a very large EB population keep moving toward Advanced High. In a state that serves more Emergent Bilinguals than any other, the districts that reclassify students on time are the ones that find a way to reach each learner individually, at scale.