Freight Information

Legislation requires that Texas Education Agency (TEA) is responsible for the payment of freight to ensure that Texas local education agencies (LEAs) have access to instructional materials purchased using Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment (TIMA) funds.

Freight payment procedures differ according to:

  • Proclamation year: Different steps apply to materials adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) prior to 2020.
  • Ordering method: Materials purchased through an EMAT requisition are handled differently than materials purchased directly from the publisher.
  • Shipment weight: Different instructions apply to shipments weighing more than 150 pounds.
     

To find out which rules apply to a specific shipment, first determine:

1. What is the proclamation year for the materials?

Click the proclamation year to view a list of subject areas included.

Prekindergarten Systems English and Spanish 

English Language Arts and Reading (ELA), English I─IV 

Reading I, II, III 

ELA Electives, College Readiness and Study Skills, Visual Media Analysis and Production, Contemporary Media, Literary Genres, Practical Writing Skills, Humanities, Communication Applications, Debate I─III 

English Language Arts and Reading K─8 

Spanish Language Arts and Reading K─5 

Spelling (English), 1─6 

Handwriting (English) K─5 

Handwriting (Spanish) K─5 

Personal Financial Literacy  

Special Topics in Social Studies (Ethnic Studies) 

Algebraic Reasoning 

Career and Technical Education (CTE) 

Languages Other than English (LOTE) 

Advanced Qualitative Reasoning, Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Mathematical Models with Applications, Precalculus 

Social Studies K─8 

Social Studies (Spanish) K─5 

US History, World History, World Geography, US Government, Economics, Psychology, Sociology 

Fine Arts K─12 

Science K─8 

Advanced Biotechnology, Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Systems, Food Science, Forensic Science, Integrated Physics and Chemistry, Physics 

Mathematics K─8 

Mathematics (Spanish) K─5 

Technology Applications K─8 

Computer Science I and II, Digital Video and Audio Design, Game Programming and Design 

2. Are the materials purchased through an EMAT requisition or directly from the publisher?

Instructional materials may be purchased using Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment (TIMA) funds through either an EMAT requisition (request ofr state-adopted instructional materials) or through a disbursement process—and the freight procedures differ for each type of purchase.

Freight procedures for materials purchased through an EMAT requisition:

The LEA uses the EMAT system to order the desired instructional materials, and TEA pays the publisher directly.

When purchasing instructional materials through an EMAT requisition using TIMA funds, the freight payment is also made through EMAT; however, the freight procedures differ depending on:

  • Proclamation year
  • Shipment weight
     
Proclamation Year Shipment Weight Over 150 Pounds Shipment Weight 150 Pounds or Less

2020 or later
Intrastate (within Texas) or interstate (out-of-state) shipping options available

  • Publisher charges district freight costs: Check with the LEA to determine if they have a preferred freight provider at a cheaper price than the publisher can provide.
     
  • LEA submits a disbursement request for reimbursement: Enter EMAT purchase order number and publisher name in the long description field of the freight category on the disbursement request.
  • Publisher contacts FedEx to arrange shipment. No action from the LEA is required.
     
  • Instructions for publishers: Submit a Help Desk ticket for the appropriate account number. Contact FedEx directly (1-800-463-3393). Include the EMAT purchase order number on the shipping documents.

2019 or earlier
Only intrastate (within Texas) shipping available

  • Publisher is responsible for arranging shipment and freight payment. No action from the LEA is required.
     
  • Publisher instructions: Contact Central Freight using the phone number for the nearest terminal or contact customer service at 1-800-782-5036. Include the EMAT purchase order number on the bill of lading (BOL). A unique BOL number is required for each delivery location.
  • The publisher contacts FedEx to arrange shipment. No action from the LEA is required.
     
  • Instructions for publishers: Submit a Help Desk ticket for the appropriate account number. Contact FedEx directly (1-800-463-3393). Include the EMAT purchase order number on the shipping documents.


Freight procedures for materials purchased directly from the publisher:

The freight contracts that apply to requisition purchases through EMAT do not apply to orders that LEAs submit directly to publishers. 

When ordering instructional materials directly from the publisher, freight costs are charged to the LEA. Then the LEA can submit a TIMA disbursement request in EMAT to be reimbursed from the state freight fund. A disbursement is a request placed within EMAT to receive funds electronically to pay for items, services, or freight charges contracted outside of EMAT.

When requesting reimbursement, put the transaction ID of the disbursement request and the publisher name in the long description of the freight disbursement request.

For intrastate (within Texas) or interstate (out-of-state) freight charges disbursement categories: Enter the purchase order (PO) number or the transaction ID number associated with the freight.

For shipping costs disbursement category: Enter the transaction ID the freight is associated with.

Freight disbursement requests that are approved in the same payment period are grouped together for one payment. For example, if a district entered a $50 freight request in disbursement A and a $100 freight request in disbursement B, the LEA will receive one $150 payment. The same document number, payment ID, payment date, and amount will show on the “View Payment Information” link for both disbursement requests. LEAs will not see freight payments on their allotment report.

Contact Information

Instructional Materials and Implementation Division
1701 North Congress Avenue, Room 3-110
Austin, Texas 78701-1494