Texas T-TESS Teacher Evaluation Software
Run Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System appraisals on all 4 domains and 16 dimensions, with digital rubrics and observation cycles aligned to the state-recommended appraisal system.
T-TESS is the doorway, not the whole story. In EX in Education, T-TESS evaluations connect to coaching, goals, PD, and retention, so every educator moves from hired to thriving.
New to T-TESS? Start with our free T-TESS walkthrough guide - the 4 domains and 16 dimensions explained.
T-TESS Classroom Observation
In short: T-TESS, the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System, rates teachers across 4 domains and 16 dimensions on 5 performance levels (Distinguished to Improvement Needed). For 2026-27, TEA is piloting a refreshed T-TESS 2 (12 dimensions) with 15 school systems, while most districts still use the standard 16-dimension T-TESS.
Run this in your district
Reviewed for 2026-27 state requirements. Configure EX to your district's local process, or start from a ready-made observation form.
Texas's T-TESS Evaluation Framework
The Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System is the state-recommended appraisal system, developed by the Texas Education Agency. It organizes teaching practice into 4 domains and 16 dimensions, scored on a five-level rubric. Districts may adopt T-TESS or a local option appraisal system. In EX in Education, whichever framework your district uses is the doorway into a connected system for coaching, PD, and retention.
T-TESS: 4 Domains, 16 Dimensions
All four T-TESS domains come pre-configured in EX, so evaluators score against every dimension without rebuilding forms.
- Planning
- Instruction
- Learning Environment
- Professional Practices and Responsibilities
State-Recommended, Locally Adopted
T-TESS is the state-recommended appraisal system, but Texas districts may adopt a local option appraisal system instead. EX supports the framework and appraisal cycle your district uses.
- T-TESS or your district's local option system
- Five-level performance rubric
- Pre-conference, observation, and post-conference cycle
- Goal-setting and professional development plan
Complete T-TESS Framework Coverage
All four T-TESS domains and their 16 dimensions are pre-built in EX in Education, so Texas evaluators can observe, score, and generate evidence from day one.
Planning
Four dimensions covering how teachers prepare instruction before it begins.
- 1.1 Standards and Alignment
- 1.2 Data and Assessment
- 1.3 Knowledge of Students
- 1.4 Activities
Instruction
Five dimensions covering instruction as it happens in the classroom.
- 2.1 Achieving Expectations
- 2.2 Content Knowledge and Expertise
- 2.3 Communication
- 2.4 Differentiation
- 2.5 Monitor and Adjust
Learning Environment
Three dimensions covering classroom climate, behavior, and culture.
- 3.1 Classroom Environment, Routines, and Procedures
- 3.2 Managing Student Behavior
- 3.3 Classroom Culture
Professional Practices and Responsibilities
Four dimensions covering ethics, growth, and school community.
- 4.1 Professional Demeanor and Ethics
- 4.2 Goal Setting
- 4.3 Professional Development
- 4.4 School Community Involvement
The Appraisal Cycle
- • Goal-setting and professional development plan
- • Pre-conference before the formal observation
- • Formal classroom observation on the T-TESS rubric
- • Post-conference and end-of-year summative
Walkthroughs & Evidence
- • Informal walkthroughs for ongoing feedback
- • Evidence and artifacts tied to each dimension
- • Announced or unannounced visits
- • Cadence set by district appraisal policy
Local option appraisal: T-TESS is the appraisal system recommended by the Texas commissioner of education, and most Texas districts use it. A district may instead adopt a local option appraisal system through its board and appraisal committee. EX supports the T-TESS rubric and the observation structure your district's appraisal plan uses, and adapts as your plan changes.
T-TESS Performance Levels, Tracked Over Time
Each T-TESS dimension is rated on a five-level rubric. EX in Education records each rating, ties it to the evidence behind it, and carries it forward so growth is visible from one cycle to the next.
Distinguished
Consistently exceeds standards and models best practice for others
Accomplished
Frequently exceeds standards with strong, consistent practice
Proficient
Meets the standard with clear, effective classroom practice
Developing
Inconsistently meets the standard and needs targeted support
Improvement Needed
Does not yet meet the standard and requires intensive support
Each teacher receives a rating on every dimension, drawn from observation evidence and the appraisal conferences. Teachers rated Developing or Improvement Needed are supported with a growth plan. EX in Education keeps each teacher's rating history, dimension scores, and improvement plans in one place, and routes the ones who need support into coaching cycles so a rating leads to next steps, not just a score.
Built for Texas's Evaluation Process
EX in Education gives Texas districts what they need to run T-TESS aligned to state requirements, then connects that evidence to coaching, PD, goals, and retention across every campus.
T-TESS-Aligned Forms
Observation forms pre-built for all 4 domains and 16 dimensions, on the T-TESS five-level rubric.
- • All 16 dimensions included
- • Five-level rating scale
- • Evidence collection tools
Mobile Observations
Conduct walkthroughs and formal observations on any device, with offline support and automatic syncing.
- • Any device, any classroom
- • Offline capture
- • Formal and informal visits
Appraisal Cycles
Manage the pre-conference, observation, and post-conference cycle alongside quick walkthroughs, with scheduling and reminders in one connected system.
- • Pre and post-conferences
- • Informal walkthroughs
- • Cycle reminders
Coaching Handoff
Turn what an observation surfaces into a coaching cycle, so feedback leads to real support instead of a filed form.
- • Evidence to coaching
- • Structured feedback
- • Follow-up visits
Dimension Analytics
Track trends across dimensions, spot where teachers need support, and route those needs into PD and coaching without re-entering data.
- • Trends by dimension
- • Campus and district views
- • Linked to PD plans
Goal Setting & Growth
Set the T-TESS goal-setting and professional development plan tied to what the evaluation surfaced, tracked in the module that follows a teacher across the year.
- • Goal setting tools
- • Progress tracking
- • Linked to PD
Why Texas Districts Run T-TESS Inside EX in Education
Run T-TESS aligned to state requirements, then use what the evaluation surfaces to actually grow and keep your teachers. Evaluation is the doorway. Educator growth and retention is the product.
Less admin, more coaching
Structured workflows and feedback tools free appraisers to spend more of their time in coaching conversations, not paperwork.
Consistent across campuses
Consistent rubrics and processes help appraisers score consistently, whether it is one campus or the whole district.
Growth you can see
Ratings, goals, and coaching history sit together, so progress is visible over time instead of scattered across files.
Retention, not just ratings
When feedback connects to PD, goals, and support, teachers keep developing, and districts keep the ones they worked hard to hire.
How AI Supports T-TESS Evaluations
AI in EX in Education helps appraisers work through T-TESS faster while keeping every judgment in human hands. It drafts and organizes, appraisers decide.
Draft Feedback From Evidence
Turn observation notes into clear, dimension-aligned feedback that the appraiser reviews and edits before it is shared.
Organize Evidence by Dimension
Sort notes and artifacts against the 16 T-TESS dimensions, so nothing is missed when it is time to score.
Suggest Growth Next Steps
Surface coaching moves and PD ideas tied to what an observation revealed, ready for the appraiser to assign.
Bring T-TESS Into the Bigger Picture
See how EX in Education runs T-TESS aligned to Texas's requirements, then connects evaluations to coaching, PD, goals, and retention across every campus.
Tracking license renewal too? Texas professional development and renewal requirements.
Built for T-TESS requirements. Bring your own rubric, or start from ours. Connected to coaching, PD, and goals.
T-TESS: frequently asked questions
What is T-TESS?
T-TESS, the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System, is the state-recommended appraisal system for Texas teachers, developed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). It runs on a year-long cycle that combines classroom observations, a goal-setting and professional-development plan, and a student-growth measure. Districts may adopt T-TESS or a local-option appraisal system.
How many domains and dimensions are in the T-TESS rubric?
The standard T-TESS rubric has 4 domains and 16 dimensions. The domains are Planning, Instruction, Learning Environment, and Professional Practices and Responsibilities. The 16 dimensions sit beneath those domains and are what appraisers rate during an observation.
What are the T-TESS performance rating levels?
Each dimension is rated on five performance levels: Distinguished, Accomplished, Proficient, Developing, and Improvement Needed. Proficient is the expected level of practice for an effective teacher, and the higher levels describe practice that increasingly shifts ownership of learning to students.
Is T-TESS changing for the 2026-27 school year? What is "T-TESS 2"?
Most Texas districts continue to appraise under the standard T-TESS (4 domains, 16 dimensions) in 2026-27. TEA is piloting a refreshed version, often called T-TESS 2, with 15 school systems during 2026-27. The refresh streamlines the rubric to 12 dimensions, keeps four domains but renames them (Instructional Preparation, Instructional Delivery, Learning Environment, and Professional Practices and Responsibilities), and adds an 80%-demonstration scoring protocol. Unless your district is in the pilot, you should expect the current 16-dimension T-TESS this year; confirm with your appraisal calendar.
Get the T-TESS cheat sheet.
A printable 2-page reference: all four domains and 16 dimensions, the rating scale, the annual cycle, and what strong evidence looks like.
We'll send the cheat sheet, then follow up with a few short tips. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Part of EX in Education
One piece of the educator experience.
Texas T-TESS evaluations are one part of how districts support educators. In EX in Education, they connect to the bigger picture: walkthroughs, coaching, evaluations, goals, PD, recognition, surveys, and retention. Bring your own process, or start from a template, then run it across every campus so every educator moves from hired to thriving.