Provider District Agreement
After the Course Review conference, TxVSN Central Operations finalizes a Provider Agreement with the potential provider. The agreement relates to course semester availability and enrollment schedules, the number of sections and seats available per course, course cost, and other relevant data needed to populate the TxVSN course catalog. When the agreement is finalized the Provider District’s courses are published in the TxVSN online catalog and are available to Receiving Districts.
Sample Provider District Agreement
Pathway to becoming a TxVSN Provider District
Pathway to becoming a Provider District
The Texas Virtual School Network serves as a statewide catalog for courses provided by Texas school districts, open enrollment charter schools, education service centers, and public or private institutions of higher education. Each course in the catalog is reviewed for alignment to course TEKS and the North American Council for Online Learning National Standards of Quality for Online Courses. Once approved by TxVSN, the online course catalog displays all approved courses with each course description and objectives, associated technology specifications, schedule, assessments, costs, and other relevant data for each TxVSN Provider District. School personnel and students can review options to select the course that best meets students’ needs
Provider District Defined
Texas Education Code Chapter 30A defines a “provider district” as academically acceptable or higher school districts, recognized or higher open enrollment charter schools, public or private institutions of higher education, and education service centers. While the local education agencies (LEAs) noted previously may elect to partner with a commercial course provider, the provider district is ultimately responsible for all aspects of instruction through the TxVSN.
Assess Capacity
An LEA interested in providing courses should assess its capacity to serve students statewide. Some factors to be considered and discussed may include:
Online Course Instructors:
- availability of Texas-certified teachers to teach online course
- verification that instructors have completed TxVSN-approved professional development from an identified provider
Student Capacity:
- consideration of the number of students that can be served
- consideration of the number of sections or seats to be provided through the TxVSN
It is suggested that LEAs interested in providing courses review the TxVSN Policies and Procedures Manual, the TxVSN Provider Agreement, as well as the TxVSN Course Review section on this website.
Preparation for Course Review
TxVSN online courses must meet the basic definitions set forth by Senate Bill 1788 and Texas Education Code Chapter 30A. Online courses are defined as follows: instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet, a student and teacher are in different locations for a majority of the student’s instructional period, most instructional activities take place in an online environment, the online instructional activities are integral to the academic program, extensive communication between a student and a teacher and among students is emphasized, and a student is not required to be located on the physical premises of a school district or open enrollment charter school.
Before moving on to the course submission process, a potential provider district should self evaluate their course(s) to verify that they meet the above definition of an online course.
Course Submission
When submitting a course for review, potential Provider Districts will supply general course information such as course name, PEIMS number, semesters, contact information, and technical requirements. TxVSN Course Review will also need course access and login information for each Reviewer. Details and submission forms are further explained on the Course Review section of the TxVSN website.
TEA Course Review recommendations
After the Texas Education Agency approves Course Review recommendations, TxVSN Course Review will conference with each potential Provider District regarding the results. Initial course data will be added to the TxVSN course catalog for all approved courses.
Click HERE to go to the TxVSN Course Application and Submission page.