National Board Certification Under Review: SBEC to Decide Future of TIA Pathway

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) meets July 23–24, 2026 in Austin, and one agenda item carries real stakes for districts and teachers watching the rollout of House Bill 2: whether National Board Certification will remain a pathway to the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA).

Why This Matters 

National Board Certification is already an established route to a TIA designation. An eligible Nationally Board Certified Teacher can currently earn a "Recognized" designation. 

HB 2, passed by the 89th Texas Legislature in 2025, put that route up for review. The law directed SBEC to review the National Board Certification process for alignment with Texas statute and standards, and, following that review, the board may reauthorize or revoke the related route to a TIA designation. 

On the July 24 agenda, Item 7 — "SBEC Review of the National Board Certification Materials Report" — gives the board the opportunity to discuss and take action on the report submitted by the reviewers of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) materials and the recommendations of the SBEC subcommittee. 

Related preparatory work is on the calendar the day before: the National Board Certification Materials Review Committee meets July 23, and the board holds a Work Session the same day covering educator preparation program accountability and certification exam strategy. 

Meeting Details and Where to Follow Along 

• July 23, 2026 — Work Session, 11:00 a.m., Barbara Jordan Building, 1601 N. Congress Ave., Room 2.034, Austin — agenda 
• July 24, 2026 — Full Board Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Barbara Jordan Building, Room 2.034 — agenda 
• Meeting dates, locations, and archived agendas: SBEC Meetings page 
• TEA provides a live webcast and archived recordings

Share Your Thoughts: Public Comment 

The public can weigh in on the National Board Certification item. Because it's an item posted for discussion and action, SBEC procedures allow public comment on it directly, in either of two ways: 

• Oral testimony at the July 24 meeting — three minutes per speaker, with up to 30 minutes total allocated to comment on each agenda item. Register through TEA's Registration for SBEC Public Comment page; registration closes 30 minutes before the meeting starts. 
• Written comment submitted in advance through the same page, or by email to sbecpubliccomment@tea.texas.gov, until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Submitted written comments are shared with SBEC members ahead of the meeting.