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October 21, 2011 TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED: SUBJECT: Texas Virtual School Network Opportunities The 82nd Texas Legislature, First Called Session introduced several changes for students taking online courses through the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN). Senate Bill 1 repealed the TxVSN allotment and created provisions that enable an independent school district or open-enrollment charter school to earn Foundation School Program (FSP) funding for a student enrolled in grades 9-12 TxVSN course(s) offered through the TxVSN, in the same manner that the district is entitled to earn funding for a student who is enrolled in a traditional classroom setting. Schools may also use a variety of other sources of funds to pay for TxVSN courses, including applicable state and federal program and grant funds, or local funds. Students are not required to be physically present on campus during instruction to be eligible to generate FSP funding for courses taken through the TxVSN; districts can earn these funds regardless of where the student is located while receiving instruction. Students may take any combination of TxVSN courses in a virtual or school setting and courses in a traditional classroom setting to generate FSP funding. For additional information regarding attendance accounting, please refer to the 2011-2012 Student Attendance Accounting Manual Version 2 at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=7739. In addition to FSP and other sources of funds, school districts and open-enrollment charter schools will also have the opportunity to apply for TxVSN Virtual Learning Scholarships which are designed to provide opportunities for students to enroll in TxVSN courses that meet the graduation requirements for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. Information about TxVSN Virtual Learning Scholarships will be available October 21, 2011, on the TxVSN website at http://www.txvsn.org. As districts plan their TxVSN online opportunities for students, they must also adhere to the new legislation which requires districts to adopt a policy that provides students with the opportunity to enroll in courses through the state virtual school network. The policy must be consistent with the requirements of the Texas Education Code, Section 26.0031, Rights Concerning State Virtual School Network, which may be viewed online at http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/ED/htm/ED.26.htm#26.00311. The TxVSN has established a high level of quality for each online course offered through the TxVSN Course Catalog. Each high school course is required to be 100% aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and meet the National Standards of Quality for Online Courses established by iNACOL. All high school courses are led by a Texas-certified instructor trained in best practices in delivering online instruction. The TxVSN can provide assistance in registering students in TxVSN courses and additional guidance regarding funding options to support participation in the state virtual school network. For more information, please contact the TxVSN Help Desk at 1-866-938-9876 or participate in one of the webinars available at www.txvsn.org. Sincerely,
Anita Givens Associate Commissioner Standards and Programs  |
