Bastrop Independent School District trustees voted unanimously to approve submitting an application to the Texas Education Agency seeking an extension of District of Innovation certification waivers under House Bill 2, district staff said at the December board meeting.

Diane Greene, chief human resources officer, told trustees the extension would provide additional time — proposed through the 2029–30 school year — for current teachers who are not fully certified to complete certification requirements. Greene said the district would learn whether the application is approved by March 31, 2026, in time for hiring for the 2026–27 school year.

Greene said the district currently has 115 teachers in K–5 reading and math who are not fully certified. Of those, 64 are degreed and enrolled in an alternative certification program (ACP), which Greene said typically takes about 12 to 18 months; six are degreed but not yet in an ACP; and 45 are non‑degreed staff, 26 of whom have more than 60 college hours. Greene described steps the district is taking to support certification, including regular HR check‑ins with principals, a certification fair, one‑on‑one HR sessions, and planned partnership work with Texas State University and other educator‑preparation pathways.

Trustees asked about hiring standards and contingency plans if TEA denies the extension. Greene said the district has been tightening hiring and monitoring practices and that, in a denial scenario, it might need to reassign some teachers away from core subjects or consider other staffing changes. Greene said she was not aware of a specific punitive sanction TEA would impose beyond enforcement of certification requirements and noted many districts face similar statewide challenges.

Greene also told trustees the district has applied for a TEA 'grow your own' allotment and a separate grant to help offset the costs of alternative certification programs.

The board approved the application by voice/hand vote. The motion to submit the application was made and seconded during the meeting; trustees recorded the outcome as "motion carries by a show of hands."