The Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) will provide additional opportunities and options for Texas students through online courses. TxVSN was authorized by the Texas Legislature in 2007 to provide online courses to students in Texas.

Education Service Center (ESC) Region 10, in collaboration with the Harris County Department of Education, has been awarded Central Operations of the TxVSN. Central Operations will establish communication efforts to facilitate the delivery of online courses and provide information to stakeholders.

ESC Region 4 has been selected to serve as the TxVSN partner to conduct the review of electronic courses to be offered through the network. TxVSN Central Operations, in conjunction with Region 4, will solicit courses from school districts for review and Region 4 will provide 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.

The Texas Virtual School Network provides courses to supplement the instructional programs of public school districts and open enrollment charter schools.  Through regular review of student needs, schools may determine that TxVSN courses provide useful instructional options.  A student then requests courses, the district-designated TxVSN Site Coordinator reviews and approves course selection, and finally the district-designated purchasing approver allocates funding to pay for the course.  This system of checks and balances allows the public school district or open enrollment charter school to have an active role in the acquisition the TxVSN courses.