TEA Identifies Partners to Implement Partners to Implement
Key Functions of the Texas Virtual School Network

In April 2008, the Texas Education Agency announced key partnerships to implement critical functions of the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN). In order to establish the network and begin operations, a number of strategies and processes were implemented in concert. Education Service Center (ESC) Region 10, in collaboration with the Harris County Department of Education, was awarded Central Operations of the TxVSN. The TxVSN will begin offering courses in Spring 2009.

ESC Region 4 was selected to serve as the TxVSN partner to conduct the review of electronic courses to be offered through the network. TxVSN Central, in conjunction with Region 4, solicits courses from school districts for review and Region 4 provides training to qualified online course reviewers to determine if an online course(s) submitted for offering through the TxVSN meets the quality standards established by the state.

Five professional development providers were identified to offer the professional development for teachers that is required prior to teaching an electronic course offered through the network.  These professional development providers are:

A call for participation for additional professional development providers is conducted on a regular basis through TxVSN Central. For more information on additional opportunities to submit professional development programs, contact txvsncentral@txvsn.org.

The TxVSN was created by the 80th Texas Legislature through the passage of Senate Bill 1788 and codified in Chapter 30A. of the Texas Education Code (TEC) which authorizes the Texas Education Agency to establish and administer a state virtual school network to provide education to students through electronic means. The Instructional Materials and Educational Technology Division at the TEA has been designated as the administering authority for the TxVSN.

During the summer of 2008, the first online courses for grades nine through twelve were reviewed for the network against the National Standards for Quality of Online Courses endorsed by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (www.inacol.org) and for alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. A list of the initial approved course offerings was made available in fall of the 2008-2009 school year. The network shall begin providing some electronic courses for grades nine through twelve in the spring semester of the 2008-2009 school year.

Additional information about course offerings, approved professional development providers, and participation in the TxVSN is available on the Texas Virtual School Network website at: www.txvsn.org. Contact TxVSN with any questions you may have by email (txvsncentral@txvsn.org) or by phone at 1-866-93TxVSN (1-866-938-9876).

This page last updated August 6, 2008