Texas Introduces Incentive for Districts to Certify Unqualified Teachers

The Texas Education Agency is launching a Teacher Certification Incentive program in August 2026, offering school districts $1,000 for each uncertified teacher who achieves standard certification. This initiative aims to improve classroom qualifications and aligns with new legislation prohibiting the hiring of uncertified educators for core K-12 subjects by 2027–28. It seeks to reverse a decade-long trend of declining teacher qualifications.