{"resourceId":"texas-dir-public-sector-ai-awareness-training-fy26-27","versions":[{"version":"external-f16cf29ac962c7f239f49ff6898dbf6a5a79ae16d5d6e88ff3e0041a53bc2349","resource":{"id":"texas-dir-public-sector-ai-awareness-training-fy26-27","title":"Texas DIR: annual certified AI awareness training applies to university systems and public institutions of higher education, with compliance certified each August 31","organization":"Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR)","sector":"State IT regulator / public-sector AI workforce requirements","geography":"Texas, U.S. (statewide; state agencies incl. public higher education)","publishedAt":"DIR program page, current FY 26-27 version (no page date stated); certified program list valid through August 31, 2027","publicationDate":null,"eventDate":"2027-08-31","sourceName":"Texas Department of Information Resources","sourceLabel":"State agency requirements page","sourceUrl":"https://dir.texas.gov/ai-and-innovation/public-sector-artificial-intelligence-ai-awareness-training","evidenceClass":"standards-guidance","outcomeClass":"emerging","topics":["governance-procurement","accessibility-workforce"],"finding":"DIR states that Government Code 2054.5191 requires state and local government employees and officials to complete a certified AI awareness training program annually, and that the 'state agency' definition includes university systems and institutions of higher education. For state agencies, the requirement covers employees who use a computer for at least 25% of required duties plus elected or appointed officers. Entities certify compliance by August 31 and track completion however they choose; they do not submit records to DIR. Certified programs for FY 26-27 are valid through August 31, 2027; DIR offers a free certified course without tracking or certificates, certifies programs for content only, and is no longer accepting program applications.","sledRelevance":"This is the primary rule behind ETAMU's announcement and applies to every Texas public university. It is newly relevant because the FY 26-27 certified list is now in force and institutions are choosing courses for this compliance year.","evidence":"Primary state agency page describing statutory requirements, timeline and exceptions. It sets obligations but reports no compliance rates or outcomes. Retrieved through a fetch tool after direct HTTPS access returned 403.","architectureImplications":"Institutions must build their own completion tracking, since DIR's free course has no tracking or certificates and DIR collects no individual records.","governanceImplications":"Creates an annual, auditable AI-literacy obligation alongside cybersecurity training, with compliance certified by the institution itself. DIR certification covers content only, so institutions remain responsible for other regulatory obligations.","securityPrivacyImplications":"Program certification criteria focus on understanding AI use in employee duties and best practices in deploying and operating AI; the page itself sets no data-handling controls.","caveats":"Requirements page, not an evaluation; no page date; does not show whether training changes behaviour; Texas-only.","streamIds":["campus-operations"],"roles":{"sales":"Sales framing: Texas makes AI awareness training an annual legal requirement for most public university staff, so every Texas campus has a fixed deadline and a self-attested reporting duty. Free options exist from DIR and peer universities, so the course itself is rarely the opportunity. A bounded engagement is helping an institution connect the mandated training to its actual AI rules and tracking. Do not imply the mandate proves AI training improves outcomes; the page sets obligations only.","engineering":"Engineering framing: DIR collects no individual records and its free course has no tracking, so institutions need their own completion evidence. Fit depends on whether the LMS and HR systems can identify in-scope staff by the 25% computer-use threshold and handle leave exceptions. A proof of value is a dry run of the August 31 certification from system data, plus a check that course messaging matches configured AI tool controls.","delivery":"Delivery framing: this is a recurring compliance programme with a hard annual date. Delivery means defining the in-scope population, choosing a certified course for the fiscal year, tracking completion, managing exceptions and filing the certification. Ownership should be explicit because DIR leaves tracking method to each entity. Add a yearly check that the chosen course is still certified, since certifications expire every August 31."},"roleDetails":{"sales":{"customerProblem":"A Texas public university must certify annual AI training compliance but has scattered tracking and no link between training and its AI tool rules.","stakeholders":["Information resources manager","CISO","HR","Compliance office","Training office"],"discoveryQuestions":["Which certified course have you chosen for FY 26-27?","How will you identify employees meeting the 25% threshold?","Who files the August 31 certification?","How do leave exceptions get recorded?"],"valueHypothesis":"Clear tracking and aligned content could make compliance cheaper to evidence and more meaningful, though the page reports no outcomes.","potentialEngagement":"A compliance-readiness review: in-scope roster, tracking method, course choice and alignment with AI policy.","unsupportedClaims":["That mandated training improves AI safety","Any statewide compliance rates","That certification covers other legal obligations"]},"engineering":{"fit":"Applies to Texas university systems and public institutions of higher education.","architectureIntegration":"LMS completion records linked to HR data for in-scope identification and exception handling.","prerequisites":["HR data on job duties or computer use","LMS with reporting","Selected certified course"],"constraints":["Certifications expire each August 31","DIR free course lacks tracking and certificates","Texas-only statute"],"security":"No technical controls are imposed; data-handling rules must come from institutional policy and tool configuration.","proofOfValue":["Generate a test compliance report from system data","Verify exception categories are captured","Confirm chosen course appears on the FY 26-27 certified list"]},"delivery":{"work":"Operate the annual AI-awareness compliance cycle for in-scope staff and officers.","dependencies":["DIR certified program list","HR roster","LMS"],"ownership":"Information resources manager or CISO, with HR and the training office.","skillsAdoption":"Use the mandate as a floor and add role-based guidance for high-risk administrative functions.","governanceCheckpoints":["Course certification check at fiscal-year start","Mid-year completion review","August 31 certification sign-off"],"acceptanceCriteria":["Proposed: compliance report produced from system data without manual reconciliation","Proposed: all exceptions documented by category"],"risks":["Missing the annual deadline","Using a course whose certification lapsed","Treating completion as proof of competence"]}},"retrievedAt":"2026-10-13T21:58:37-05:00","enrichedAt":"2026-10-13T22:03:45-05:00","enrichmentBasis":"retrieved source","accessibilityWorkforceImplications":"Reaches most of the computer-using workforce, with exceptions for military, FMLA, workers' compensation and extended leave when system access is removed.","procurementImplications":"Institutions can use DIR's free course, a peer institution's free certified course, or a commercial certified program; DIR is no longer accepting new program applications for this cycle.","operatingModelImplications":"Self-attested compliance places the tracking burden on each institution and makes the August 31 certification a recurring operating deadline.","sourceVerification":{"openedUrl":"https://dir.texas.gov/ai-and-innovation/public-sector-artificial-intelligence-ai-awareness-training","referenceExcerpt":"This definition also includes university systems and institutions of higher education, as defined by Education Code Section 61.003.","promptVersion":"sled-research-v4.0","model":null,"basis":"agent-reported inspection"}}}]}