The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has officially released the Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Cycle 2026 process, marking the beginning of one of the most significant adoption opportunities in the nation. For vendors, understanding what this means and acting early is the difference between being well-positioned for approval or falling behind.
Why IMRA Matters
At the center of IMRA is the State Board of Education (SBOE), which reviews, approves, or rejects instructional materials based on strict quality, suitability, and alignment with standards. This process is designed, managed, and completed by the Texas Education Agency and outside consulting firms before being sent to the SBOE for final review in November. The TEA works to ensure vendors’ success, delivers changes throughout the process, and acts as the catalyst between vendors and the SBOE during the IMRA phases, in which vendors prepare their materials for final review.
Did You Know?
- The SBOE is made up of elected officials who make policy and adoption decisions.
- The TEA is staffed by employees who administer those decisions.
- This split has shaped Texas’s unique adoption process since the textbook wars of the 1970s, when curriculum decisions became both political and intensely public.
- Because Texas standards are rigorous and comprehensive, adoption here often sets the pace for what other states expect.
One of the most challenging aspects for teams to grasp is that this process is fluid. There are changes to the process during the adoption timeline, which can be unsettling for teams. The best mindset to adopt early on in this process is one that encourages teams to prepare for and accept changes, as fighting them will only make this process more complex and ultimately less enjoyable. Even long-established curriculum companies find themselves making improvements and additions to their product during IMRA, to meet the rigorous standards for learning in Texas. This doesn’t mean your product is not a high-quality instructional material; it’s an indicator of the fluid nature of the adoption and the caliber of materials Texas expects and demands.
Programs placed on the List of Approved Instructional Materials can be purchased by Texas school systems beginning in the 2027–28 school year through EMAT, the state’s instructional materials ordering system.
For many vendors, Texas represents a defining market. Success here not only opens access to millions of students but also signals national credibility. Conversely, being placed on the Rejected List means your materials cannot be purchased, adopted, or used by any Texas school system. Deciding whether or not to participate because of the implications of being added to the Rejected List is not an easy decision. The rubrics from IMRA 2025 are still publicly available. Conducting an internal audit of your materials is a valuable exercise for identifying areas where your program may fall short. However, time is of the essence, so act swiftly. In addition to these rubrics, this IMRA landing page serves as a blueprint for success, housing IMRA Quality Rubrics, a Compare Materials section, and other valuable tools to help teams build foundational knowledge.
Why Texas Standards Set the Pace
Texas isn’t just another state review. Its standards and processes have a significant impact on the entire nation. There are three key reasons why:
- Rigor and Alignment: Texas requires 100% alignment to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and, in some cases, the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). These expectations are rooted in the Science of Learning, leaving little room for partial compliance
- Transparency and Oversight: Public comment periods, suitability flags, and strict accessibility requirements mean that every submission is subject to scrutiny from multiple angles, not just content reviewers, but also parents, advocacy groups, and policy experts.
- National Ripple Effects: Because Texas represents one of the largest instructional materials markets in the country, what is adopted here often becomes the default standard for other states. Districts, policymakers, and publishers nationwide look to Texas as the bellwether of instructional rigor and content expectations.
Key Deadlines to Know Right Now
The IMRA timeline moves quickly. Here are the immediate action steps for Fall 2025 and early 2026:
- October 31, 2025: Form A (Publisher Business Information) due.
- December 12, 2025: Form B (Program Submissions + attachments) due.
- January 16, 2026: Last day for publishers to voluntarily withdraw from the cycle.
- February 4, 2026: TEA notifies publishers of selection
Missing any of these deadlines can result in the disqualification of your program or delay its review.
Why Preparation Must Start Now
Texas reviews are rigorous and public. Beyond content quality, publishers must address:
- Accessibility compliance (NIMAS, WCAG 2.1 AA).
- Suitability reviews, including prohibited content flags and patriotism alignment requirements.
- Prepare alignment to the IMRA Quality Rubrics.
- Ensure your program(s) have all the required components.
- Public comment response strategies.
- Register of Contact logs for SBOE interactions.
- Pricing and EMAT setup requirements.
RFPSchoolWatch as Your Guide
Over the next several months, RFPSchoolWatch will publish a step-by-step guidance series aligned to every major milestone in the IMRA 2026 process. From understanding the SBOE’s role to building your internal adoption team to preparing for public comment season, our goal is to ensure vendors never face this process alone.
Next up in the series: Who Should Lead the Adoption Process in Your Company?
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