1. (a) Each teacher of an electronic course, including a dual credit course, offered through the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) by a provider district must be certified under the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 21, Subchapter B, to teach that course and grade level or meet the credentialing requirements of the institution of higher education with which they are affiliated and that is serving as a provider district. In addition, each teacher:

   1. (1) must:

      1. (A) successfully complete a professional development course or program approved by TxVSN central operations before teaching an electronic course offered through the TxVSN; or
      2. (B) have a graduate degree in online or distance learning and have demonstrated mastery of the International Association for K-12 Learning (iNACOL) National Standards for Quality Online Teaching; or
      3. (C) have two or more years of documented experience teaching online courses for students in Grades 3-12 and have demonstrated mastery of the iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching; and
   2. (2) must successfully complete one continuing professional development course specific to online learning every three years.
2. (b) Each teacher of an electronic course, including a dual credit course, offered through the TxVSN by a provider district must meet highly qualified teacher requirements under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as applicable.

3. (c) The iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching are adopted by the commissioner of education as the objective standard criteria for quality of an electronic professional development course as required by the TEC, §30A.113.

   1. (1) A school district or charter school shall submit to TxVSN central operations any course the school district or charter school seeks to provide to teachers for authorization to teach electronic courses provided through the TxVSN.
   2. (2) The Texas Education Agency (TEA) shall use the most recent iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching to evaluate professional development courses submitted by a school district or charter school for approval.

4. (d) School districts and charter schools serving as TxVSN provider districts shall affirm the preparedness of teachers of TxVSN electronic courses to teach public school-age students in a highly interactive online classroom and shall:

   1. (1) maintain records documenting:

      1. (A) successful initial completion of TxVSN-approved professional development, evidence of prior online teaching, or a graduate degree in online or distance learning; and
      2. (B) teachers' demonstrated mastery of the iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Teaching prior to teaching through the TxVSN;
   2. (2) maintain records of successful completion of continuing professional development;
   3. (3) maintain records documenting successful completion of TxVSN-approved professional development before the end of the school year for any teacher who is hired after the school year has begun; and
   4. (4) make the records specified in this subsection available to the TEA and TxVSN central operations upon request.

Source Note:The provisions of this §70.1027 adopted to be effective February 27, 2013, 38 TexReg 1163.