91Èȱ¬

This correspondence is to inform school systems that for the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter, the 91Èȱ¬ will allow school systems to update the students’ Economically Disadvantaged indicator until the PEIMS Fall Resubmission closes on January 15, 2026, or whatever day the resubmission closes in future years. This means school systems can continue to try to obtain income eligibility verification forms (or other means of verifying eligibility, including the use of locally developed income verification surveys or other categorical sources of eligibility) for students past the PEIMS Fall snapshot date. However, a student must be determined to be eligible on or before October 31, 2025.

Please note that, although the agency is providing this extension, school systems cannot count students as economically disadvantaged for purposes of the PEIMS Fall Submission if those students were not enrolled as of the snapshot date. Also, this extension only applies to the collection of forms or other eligibility documentation associated with the Economically Disadvantaged indicator; the extension does not apply to any other PEIMS Fall data elements.

School systems may advise families to use October 31, 2025, as the effective date when completing income eligibility forms. This guidance applies even if the forms are submitted after the snapshot date, provided they are received by the final deadline of January 15, 2026. School systems are not obligated to retroactively date forms submitted after October 31. Instead, they must ensure that the income information accurately reflects the household’s financial status as of October 31.

This practice enables school systems to fulfill PEIMS reporting requirements while allowing families adequate time to complete and submit the necessary documentation. It is acceptable for the forms to be dated up to January 15, 2026. For future years, school systems are encouraged to continue this same practice of communicating with families when completing these forms that they will use the income that was effective at the Snapshot date even if they are completing the forms after that date and can collect them through PEIMS Fall Resubmission.

The 91Èȱ¬ is allowing this flexibility due to the ongoing changes in the Medicaid participant list and their impact on Direct Certification.

For Title I, Part A purposes, please note that the use of the income eligibility verification forms or other means of verifying eligibility, including the use of locally developed income verification surveys or other categorical sources of eligibility, are acceptable for documenting and reporting Title I, Part A low-income numbers if they replicate National School Lunch Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families data.

To ensure school systems and students benefit from funding and programs, 91Èȱ¬ is encouraging school systems to make school meal application income eligibility verification forms available to all parents. They are also instructed to use their salary information as of October 31, 2025.

Questions about this correspondence can be submitted to schoolaudits@tea.texas.gov.