Implementation of the Texas Virtual School Network

Share Your Virtual School Experiences Divide into four groups Please discuss at your table the following: –Group 1: Your virtual school model –Group 2: Online instructor training/accreditation –Group 3: How courses are evaluated and identified –Group 4: Your funding model Choose a person to serve as the group reporter Completion Time: 3 minutes

The TxVSN Experience

Texas Virtual School Network Senate Bill 1788 Education Code Chapter 30A-State Virtual School Network Supplemental Program Distance Learning options offered under other law still available Funding and attendance rules to be established by Texas Education Agency

TxVSN Fundamentals LEAs are course providers –Private providers eligible via districts Districts and Open Enrollment charters may receive courses Priority for the network: –9-12 courses beginning January 2009 –4 X 4 courses –Preliminary planning for Summer 2009

TxVSN Receiver LEA Districts, Open Enrollment Charter Schools, Education Service Centers, Public and Private Higher Education Institutions: Have online Instructors Texas-certified in course subject/grade Professional Development completed Have TxVSN-Approved Courses Have online school processes in place Will scale for statewide capacity Districts Open Enrollment Charter Schools Have students with academic need Provide a TxVSN site coordinator Provide Funding for courses Retain related services responsibility Keep responsibility for accountability Assign credit upon completion TxVSN Provider LEA

Establishing the TxVSN Request for Proposal from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to identify: TxVSN Course Review TxVSN Central Operations Request for Qualifications from TEA to identify professional development providers

Course Review Awarded to Region 4 ESC –Project Manager: Brent Bakken Rigorous Course Review –100% TEKS Alignment (AP Audit Approved) –Meets or Exceeds the NACOL National Standards TEC §30A.102 requires electronic courses submitted by a provider school district or school to be offered through the network to be reviewed

TxVSN Central Operations Awarded to ESC 10 and Harris County Department of Education TEC § 30A.052. The commissioner shall: (1) employ a limited number of administrative employees in connection with the network; and (2)(c) contract with a regional education service center for the service center to operate the network.

Professional Development Providers Awards: Education Development Center, Inc. ESC Region 4 ESC Region 11 Harris County Department of Education Texas A&M Center for Distance Learning Purpose: –Instructors must successfully complete the appropriate professional development course before teaching an electronic course offered through network.

Partnership: Course Review

Electronic Course Instruction and content are delivered primarily over the Internet A student and teacher are in different locations for the 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

TEKS Alignment

NACOL National Standards Standard A – Content Standard B – Instructional Design Standard C – Student Assessment Standard D – Technology Standard E – Course Evaluation & Management Standard F – 21 st Century Skills

Course Review Ratings Review Teams Data Collection and Aggregation Clarification and Confirmation Course Rating –Approved –Approved With Minor Modifications –Not Approved, Needing Major Modifications –Not Approved Follow-up with Provider District

Partnership: Central Operations

Central Operations Responsibilities Coordinate the course registration and student enrollments Create and maintain the infrastructure for central registration Create and maintain an electronic catalog that matches the receiver districts and provider district courses. Facilitate agreements and payment from receiver districts and pay provider districts –Maximum cost per TEC Chapter 30.A

Central Operations Responsibilities Populates approved courses into the statewide catalog Receiver district site coordinator reserves seats for students Central Operations collects registration and payment information Established advisory council

Data Elements Data collection –Student wish list –Counselor survey (wish list) –Site Coordinator registration data –Catalog elements Examples –Student teacher ratio, NCAA approved, Dual credit, Enrollment type

Data Reporting Requests Student satisfaction surveys Provider and Receiver districts surveys Evaluate course takers and student accountability results Financial information –Average course cost and range –Courses purchased by rural vs urban districts –Courses titles purchased regional Course content –Developer type –LMS types –Enrollment types

TxVSN Processes TxVSN.org –Site Coordinator registration –Student course request and wish list –Financial accounts registration –Provider district information –Receiver district information

Partnership: Professional Development

Professional Development Providers Have the skill to deliver professional development that will enable online educators to meet the National Standards of Quality for Online Teaching approved by NACOL Demonstrated significant past effectiveness in providing professional development preparing teachers to teach in the online environment

Partnership: TxVSN Advisory Council

Advisory Council Professional Organizations and Higher Education District Roles Campus Roles

TxVSN Contact Information Central Operations –Barbara Smith, ESC Region 10 –Laura Hodges, ESC Region 10 –Angela Clark, HCDE Course Review –Brent Bakken, ESC Region 4