Texas Education Code 29.171 – Eligible Private Providers
(a) A school district that offers a prekindergarten program under this subchapter may enter into a contract with an eligible private provider to provide services or equipment for the program.
(b) To be eligible to contract with a school district to provide a program or part of a program, a private provider must be licensed by and in good standing with the Department of Family and Protective Services. For purposes of this section, a private provider is in good standing with the Department of Family and Protective Services if the department has not taken an action against the provider’s license under § 42.071, 42.072, or 42.078, Human Resources Code, during the 24-month period preceding the date of a contract with a school district. The private provider must also:
(1) be accredited by a research-based, nationally recognized, and universally accessible accreditation system approved by the commissioner;
(2) be a Texas Rising Star Program provider with a three-star certification or higher;
(3) be a Texas School Ready! participant;
(4) have an existing partnership with a school district to provide a prekindergarten program not provided under this subchapter; or
(5) be accredited by an organization that is recognized by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission.
Terms Used In Texas Education Code 29.171
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
(c) A prekindergarten program provided by a private provider under this section is subject to:
(1) the requirements of this subchapter; and
(2) the class size requirement for prekindergarten classes imposed under § 25.112(a).