Education Code § 29.358

Sec. 29.358. PREAPPROVED PROVIDERS AND VENDORS. (a) The comptroller shall by rule establish a process for the preapproval of education service providers and vendors of educational products for participation in the program. The comptroller shall allow for the submission of applications on a rolling basis. (b) The comptroller shall approve an education service provider or vendor of educational products for participation in the program if the provider or vendor: (1) has previously been approved by the agency to provide supplemental special education services under Subchapter A-1 and remains in good standing with the agency; (2) for a private school, demonstrates: (A) accreditation by an organization recognized by: (i) the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission; or (ii) the agency; (B) annual administration for students in grades 3 through 12 of a nationally norm-referenced assessment instrument or the appropriate assessment instrument required under Subchapter B, Chapter 39; and (C) the school has continuously operated a campus for at least two school years preceding the date the school seeks approval under this section; (3) for a school district or open-enrollment charter school, demonstrates: (A) accreditation by the agency; and (B) the ability to provide services or products to participating children in a manner in which the children are not counted toward the district's or school's average daily attendance; (4) for a private tutor, therapist, or teaching service, demonstrates that: (A) the tutor or therapist or each employee of the teaching service who intends to provide educational services to a participating child: (i) is an educator employed by or a retired educator formerly employed by a school accredited by the agency, an organization recognized by the agency, or an organization recognized by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission; (ii) holds a relevant license or accreditation issued by a state, regional, or national certification or accreditation organization; or (iii) is employed in or retired from a teaching or tutoring capacity at a higher education provider; (B) the tutor or therapist or each employee of the teaching service who intends to provide educational services to a participating child provides to the comptroller a national criminal history record information review completed for the tutor, therapist, or employee, as applicable, within a period established by comptroller rule or authorizes the comptroller or the comptroller's designee to conduct a national criminal history record information review of the tutor, therapist, or employee as prescribed by comptroller rule; and (C) the tutor or therapist or each employee of the teaching service who intends to provide educational services to a participating child is not: (i) required to be discharged or refused to be hired by a school district under Section 22.085; or (ii) included in the registry under Section 22.092; (5) for a higher education provider, demonstrates nationally recognized postsecondary accreditation; or (6) notwithstanding Subdivision (2), for a private provider serving children in prekindergarten or kindergarten, demonstrates that the provider meets the requirements to be an eligible private provider under Section 29.171. (b-1) The comptroller may approve a vendor of educational products that provides products or services described by Section 29.359(a)(1)(C), (2), (4), (6), (8), or (9) for participation in the program in accordance with comptroller rule. (c) The comptroller may approve only an education service provider located in this state or vendor of educational products registered to do business in this state. (d) An education service provider or vendor of educational products shall provide information requested by the comptroller to verify the provider's or vendor's eligibility for preapproval under this section. The comptroller may not approve a provider or vendor if the comptroller cannot verify the provider's or vendor's eligibility for preapproval. (e) Each applicant for approval under this section shall submit to the comptroller documentation demonstrating that each person employed by the applicant or provider who will interact with a participating child is not identified as having engaged in misconduct described by Section 22.093(c)(1)(A) or (B) using the interagency reportable conduct search engine established under Chapter 810, Health and Safety Code. (f) The comptroller or the comptroller's designee shall review the documentation for each person described by Subsection (e). Each applicant for approval under this section must provide the comptroller or the comptroller's designee with any information requested by the comptroller or designee to enable the comptroller or designee to complete the review. (g) An education service provider or vendor of educational products must agree to: (1) abide by the disbursement schedule under Section 29.360(c) and all other requirements of this subchapter; (2) accept money from the program only for education-related expenses approved under Section 29.359; (3) notify the comptroller not later than the 30th day after the date that the provider or vendor no longer meets the requirements of this section; and (4) return any money received, including any interest or other additions received related to the money, in violation of this subchapter or other relevant law to the comptroller for deposit into the program fund. (h) An education service provider or vendor of educational products that receives approval under this section may participate in the program until the earliest of the date on which the provider or vendor: (1) no longer meets the requirements under this section; or (2) violates this subchapter or other relevant law. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 2 (S.B. 2), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.