SSES Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are Supplemental Special Education Services?

The Supplemental Special Education Services (SSES) program is a one-time $1,500 online grant for parents/guardians of eligible students served by special education and who are enrolled in a Texas public school. Parents/guardians of eligible students can use the online accounts to shop the marketplace to obtain educational materials and resources such as textbooks, curriculum, or technology devices and/or services such as additional speech therapy, tutoring, or other specific services.

Regardless of whether a student with a disability receives SSES, the student’s school must still meet all federal and state special education requirements to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to the student, including the determination of whether the student requires compensatory services because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, SSES goods and services are offered above and beyond what is required by a student’s school to ensure that the student receives a FAPE.

Who is eligible for an SSES account?

To be eligible for the SSES grant, students must currently be:

• enrolled in a Texas public school,
• enrolled in PreK - 12th grade,
• and a student with a disability served through Special Education.

(Students who previously received an SSES grant are not eligible to receive another grant.)

Who can submit an application for SSES?

SSES applications must be submitted by a "parent" as defined by SB 1716. This is a person who has legal authority to make educational decisions for the student(s) for which they are applying.

According to SB 1716, "Parent” means “a resident of this state who is a natural or adoptive parent, managing or possessory conservator, legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to act on behalf of a child”.

If the applicant is in question, the SSES program may ask for documentation to resolve any disputes.

Can my child qualify for both regular SSES and SSES+ Medically Fragile?

No. The SSES+ Medically Fragile program is considered a special part of the SSES program. Students who qualify for SSES+ Medically Fragile receive all the basic benefits of the SSES program plus the extra benefits described here. Students whose PEIMS coding lists them as “Medically Fragile” qualify for SSES+ Medically Fragile.

As a note, the SSES+ Medically Fragile program permanently ends on December 6, 2024. Families that currently have SSES+ Medically Fragile accounts will have until December 6, 2024 to spend these funds. Students who would have qualified for the SSES+ Medically Fragile program will still be eligible for SSES if they have not previously received an account.

Where can I find the most up to date information about the SSES program?

The SSES website is the best place to learn about the SSES program. The SSES team updates this website and FAQs regularly to reflect any program changes and information. Be cautious of external websites that have SSES information or are promoting their service or products, as these websites are not affiliated with TEA, and may give inaccurate or misleading information. Report any such websites to SSEShelp@region10.org.

Where can I find more help?

• ClassWallet is the online marketplace and where you will pay service providers. If you need assistance or need to cancel an order, you can call them at (877) 969-5536 or email them at help@classwallet.com.
• For general special education questions, please contact SPEDTex at 1-855-773-3839, inquire@spedtex.org, or spedtex.org.
• You can also reach out to the SSES program for specific SSES questions at SSEShelp@region10.org.
• For specific purchasing questions, you can also reach out to SSESpurchasing@region10.org, please add your order number if you have a specific question regarding an order.
• For questions regarding your application, you can reach out to SSEShelp@region10.org or call 1-855-773-3839.

Do 504 students qualify for the SSES Program?

No, students served under section 504 do not qualify for the SSES program as they are not served through Special Education. Please read here for more information about section 504.

Are students 18+ eligible for Supplemental Special Education Services?

Possibly. Students must not have graduated prior to applying. To qualify, students must be currently enrolled. Please note, it is the family's responsibility to notify the SSES program if a student's eligibility status changes due to graduation or other enrollment changes.

Are students in private schools eligible?

No. Students must be currently enrolled in a Texas public school (district or a charter school).

Are accounts available per child or per family?

The SSES program provides $1,500 for each eligible student. These funds must be used to provide educational goods and services that benefit that eligible student. Families with more than one eligible student are encouraged to apply for each eligible student. The application allows families to apply for multiple students within the same application using the "Add Student" feature. If a family is awarded accounts for multiple students, account funds may not be combined and must still be used to provide the $1,500 benefit to each eligible SSES student.

If you have more than one student with an SSES account, you will have to “toggle” or switch between students. For more information about how to “toggle” between your students, ClassWallet has a helpful article for you.

What does TEA use to verify if a student is eligible?

TEA uses data from the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) to verify eligibility. This data is updated twice a year when state data is received, using PEIMS Fall Enrollment Snapshot and the PEIMS Summer Attendance data. All applications are reprocessed at these times, students that are newly eligible will be notified of their change in eligibility.

If a family receives a denial letter from the SSES program, they can appeal the denial by providing proper documentation – the denial letter includes all of the information needed to appeal the decision. If you would like to appeal a denial and did not receive this information in an email, you can reach out to SSEShelp@region10.org and request the appeal form.

19 TAC §102.1601 (c)(2). "TEA will use Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) codes to verify eligibility in order to award accounts for the SSES program."

Are you applying for a student in Pre-K or this is your student’s first year in public school?

If you are applying for a student who is new to Texas public schools, we want these families to know that, although they still might be eligible, it may take longer to verify your student’s eligibility and your application may take longer to process. The following are examples of students whose eligibility may take longer to verify, due to enrollment data that is only available twice a year:

• Pre-K students
• Kindergarten students who did not attend Pre-K
• Students who recently moved to Texas or weren’t in Texas last school year.
• Students who were previously homeschooled
• Students who previously attended a private school

Is there a deadline to apply?

Yes. The SSES application is closed for the 2023-2024 school year. The application will re-open next school year on February 3, 2025. The SSES program has not changed and this is still a one-time grant. If you have previously received an SSES account, you will not be eligible to apply next school year.

How long should I expect the application process to take?

The SSES application is closed for the 2023-2024 school year. The application will re-open next school year on February 3, 2025.

All applicants will get an immediate confirmation email indicating their application has been received. 

SSES awards accounts if and when they become available. If there are not accounts available at the time of the application, those applications are placed on a waitlist and these families will likely see longer wait times for their application to be processed. Families should expect a monthly email update on their application status.

Please know, the application process may take time, and unfortunately, the SSES team is unable to provide an estimate on when families might expect their application to be processed.

Additionally, the SSES program “prioritize[s] the awarding of applicant accounts based on applicants qualifying for the National School Lunch Program and available funds” (19 TAC §102.1601 (c)(3)). TEA uses the student’s “economic-disadvantage-code” in PEIMS (Public Education Information Management System) to determine if a student qualifies for the National School Lunch Program.

The “economic-disadvantage-code” is determined for each student at the beginning of the school year or during enrollment. Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch (FRL), as determined by their “economic-disadvantage-code”, will likely receive accounts before students that are not eligible.

Please note, student eligibility in the National School Lunch Program is based off the individual student’s family income, to see the income eligibility please visit this site. This is different from a district or school providing free lunch for all students. Parents should contact their child’s school if they have questions about their student’s “economic-disadvantage-code”.

Will there be a paper application submission process for families without internet access/technology?

No. This is designed to be web-based. The system is compatible with mobile devices.

Who can submit an application for SSES?

SSES applications must be submitted by a "parent" as defined by SB 1716. This is a person who has legal authority to make educational decisions for the student(s) for which they are applying.

According to SB 1716, "Parent” means “a resident of this state who is a natural or adoptive parent, managing or possessory conservator, legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to act on behalf of a child”.

If the status of the applicant is in question, the SSES program may ask for documentation to resolve any disputes.

Can an SSES application be cancelled?

Yes. An SSES application can be canceled if it is determined that the application was submitted by someone other than the SSES student’s “parent” as defined by SB 1716.

I was placed on a waitlist. What should I expect?

Families will be notified that they are placed on a waitlist. Applications placed on the waitlist that are determined to be eligible, will receive an account only if additional funding becomes available. Applications on a waitlist are not guaranteed an account. Accounts will be funded in the order in which applications were originally submitted.

Please know, the application process may take time, and unfortunately, the SSES team is unable to provide an estimate on when families might expect their application to be processed.

Additionally, the SSES program “prioritize[s] the awarding of applicant accounts based on applicants qualifying for the National School Lunch Program and available funds” (19 TAC §102.1601 (c)(3)). TEA uses the student’s “economic-disadvantage-code” in PEIMS (Public Education Information Management System) to determine if a student qualifies for the National School Lunch Program.

The “economic-disadvantage-code” is determined for each student at the beginning of the school year or during enrollment. Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch (FRL), as determined by their “economic-disadvantage-code”, will likely receive accounts before students that are not eligible.

Please note, student eligibility in the National School Lunch Program is based off the individual student’s family income, to see the income eligibility please visit this site. This is different from a district or school providing free lunch for all students. Parents should contact their child’s school if they have questions about their student’s “economic-disadvantage-code”.

Is there a time limit on when I need to login? Is there an opt-in policy or activation requirement?

Yes. After you are awarded an SSES Account, families must complete the activation requirement within 30-days of receiving their account email. To complete the activation requirement, families MUST:

1. Login using the email you applied with AND,
2. Sign the parental affidavit. (Note that if you have more than one account, you will need to sign separate affidavits on each student)

Failure to do these two things may result in reclaiming or a loss of funds. Account holders will receive several reminders to complete the activation requirement.

What if I didn’t know about the opt-in or activation requirement policy and I missed the 30-day window activate my account?

Please reach out to SSEShelp@region10.org. The SSES team will give you the next steps required. Appeals will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

What if my student is no longer eligible when I receive an account?

If the student associated with this SSES account is no longer eligible for the program, the SSES Accountholder should not activate this account. By accepting the SSES Parental Acknowledgment and Agreement, you are agreeing that your student is still eligible; if this is NOT TRUE, you should contact SSES administration at sseshelp@region10.org to inform them that your student no longer meets the eligibility criteria below.

Your student is eligible for an SSES Account if the student is currently:

• receiving special education services
• in grades PreK-12th grade (meaning they have not graduated) or enrolled in an 18+ high school program
• living in Texas AND
• enrolled in a Texas public school

19 TAC §102.1601 (f)(4). "Parents and guardians who receive an award notification but whose student no longer qualifies under subsection (b) of this section shall notify TEA of their student's change in eligibility status."

Is there a time limit to spend funds?

Yes. Every account has an expiration date. This is likely your “purse” title in ClassWallet – you will also receive multiple emails telling you when your account expires.

Funding timelines may change for a variety of reasons. New expiration dates will always be communicated in multiple ways.

Does TEA and the SSES Program prioritize accounts?

Yes, the SSES program “prioritize[s] the awarding of applicant accounts based on applicants qualifying for the National School Lunch Program and available funds” (19 TAC §102.1601 (c)(3)). TEA uses the student’s “economic-disadvantage-code” in PEIMS (Public Education Information Management System) to determine if a student qualifies for the National School Lunch Program.

The “economic-disadvantage-code” is determined for each student at the beginning of the school year or during enrollment. Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch (FRL), as determined by their “economic-disadvantage-code”, will likely receive accounts before students that are not eligible.

Please note, student eligibility in the National School Lunch Program is based off the individual student’s family income, to see the income eligibility please visit this site. This is different from a district or school providing free lunch for all students. Parents should contact their child’s school if they have questions about their student’s “economic-disadvantage-code”.

After you’ve received your account info email, how does a parent access their funds?

Once parents have received their account award email from info@classwallet.com, parents will follow the steps outlined in the email. The SSES program funds may only be used through the online marketplace on ClassWallet. Families will not receive a gift/debit card, nor can families be reimbursed for purchased made outside of the ClassWallet marketplace.

What if a student is no longer eligible after a parent receives their funds?

The SSES Accountholder agrees to only use the funds if the student associated with the SSES account remains eligible after receiving the award. If the student is no longer eligible, but account funds remain, the SSES Accountholder agrees to stop use of SSES account funds and to inform SSES program administration at sseshelp@region10.org. Any remaining account balance will be returned to the SSES program.

19 TAC §102.1601 (f)(4). "Parents and guardians who receive an award notification but whose student no longer qualifies under subsection (b) of this section shall notify TEA of their student's change in eligibility status."

What services or goods are eligible for parents to obtain via their online accounts?

The SSES funds are for families to supplement your eligible student’s education with educationally relevant products, technologies, and/or services. For example, you may want to purchase additional hours of occupational therapy for your student, or you may want to purchase educational products that fit your student’s needs, such as computer software or hardware.

All purchases will be reviewed by SSES staff and must be approved in order to complete the order submission process. Further justification on some goods and/or services might be requested. It is recommended that families include justification on their original order submission.

Only one tablet/iPad and laptop/computer will be approved per eligible student. Further purchase guidelines can be found here (link to SSES Purchasing Guidelines in English, and here in Spanish). If you are uncertain if an item is eligible or not, it is recommended that you either reach out to SSEShelp@region10.org or SSESpurchasing@region10.org, with the item and justification so that administrators can provide more information, or that you submit the item(s) in question in a separate order. Unfortunately, we do not have the capability to make line-item modifications to orders at this time.

A device that was purchased with SSES funds was broken, lost, or stolen, can we replace it?

Requests to purchase replacements for items that get damaged, lost, or stolen are not usually approved. It is strongly recommended that when purchasing electronics, parents also purchase a warranty and a durable case (if applicable) for the item. Requests for replacement items will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and only granted in unusual circumstances.

All purchases are subject to the SSES Parental Acknowledgement and Agreement.

How can a parent submit an invoice for an eligible service provider?

When requesting the purchase of a service, please ensure that a clear and legible copy of the invoice is uploaded through the ClassWallet payment portal.

In addition, please ensure that the invoice includes:

• Dates of service (must have already happened and be after March 2020)
• Service or therapy type
• Service pricing including the price per unit of service
• Invoice amount must match the amount requested (this does not include service fees)

If an invoice amount is greater than the amount of the purse balance, the amount requested may be approved even if it does not match so long as it uses up the entirety of the account holder’s balance, we recommend adding this in the justification as well.

• Name of the SSES approved service provider or who provided the service
• Name of the student/family receiving the service or therapy

If you believe your invoice might be hard to read, you can also email it at SSESpurchasing@region10.org, please add you order number in the subject line or in the body of the email.

How long does payment of goods/service vendors take?

Approval of purchases may take up to 30 business days. If you’re wondering where your purchased items are, we recommend you reach out to ClassWallet directly. You can call them at (877) 969-5536 or email them at help@classwallet.com.

Parents will never need to pay upfront, as the online marketplace will transfer funds directly to the approved vendors/service vendors. However, if a purchase exceeds the allotted funds in the account, the accountholder will need to pay the remaining balance out-of-pocket upon time of purchase approval.

Can parents be reimbursed for goods and/or services?

No. The SSES program is not set up for reimbursements for goods or services. Families can only use the funds in their ClassWallet account to purchase goods and services from vendors approved for inclusion in the SSES program.

If you see an article or other marketing materials from ClassWallet that refer to reimbursements, know that this isn’t a supported feature of the Texas SSES program.

Is there a time limit to spend funds?

Yes. Every account has an expiration date. This is likely your “purse” title in ClassWallet – you will also receive multiple emails telling you when your account expires.

Funding timelines may change for a variety of reasons. New expiration dates will always be communicated in multiple ways.

How does a goods or service provider become an approved vendor?

Entities that sell eligible goods or services may submit an application to the SSES program to be considered as a vendor for the SSES program. The SSES program will determine if the goods or services provided are eligible and will ensure that these goods/services are provided at a negotiated cost. If approved, they will be added to the list of eligible vendors or service providers through the online marketplace.

Please note that the service provided to the student must match the type of service for which they were approved as an SSES approved service provider. For example, if a service provider applies as an occupational therapist, they must be providing occupational therapy, and it must be stated as such on the invoice.

SSES funds can be used to pay invoices for services provided to SSES eligible students by approved service providers so long as funds:

• Go towards providing the service for which the service provider was approved;
• go towards paying for services that have already occurred (after March 2020), AND;
• are accompanied by an invoice which lists the dates of service, type of service, rate for each unit of service, stakeholder names and titles, and an accurate total.

Who needs a background check, and how can I get one?

The SSES program has an obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure that only appropriate service providers work with the SSES program. One of those steps is making sure each service provider has passed a background check. Service providers working for a company or clinic get background checks when they are hired. Most individual SSES service providers are required to have a license or certification which also requires a background check. SSES may ask individual service providers who do not hold a license or certification that required a background check to submit one directly to SSES.

You can get your background check by going to the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Fingerprinting Services web page and following the instructions.

What if a parent cannot find their child’s current service provider or a service provider in their area?

ClassWallet works as a way to pay for a service received, not to search for a service provider. You can use this link to search for current service providers on the SSES marketplace.

If you still do not see your service provider, you can ask them to sign up to be a service provider on the marketplace. Service providers not on ClassWallet cannot be paid using SSES funds.

Do public school teachers or service providers qualify to be SSES service providers?

Yes, public school teachers and service providers do qualify to provide tutoring or supplemental services. Both must apply to become a service provider using the correct credentials.

SSES recommends that teachers and therapists do not provide SSES services to students on their current LEA caseloads and/or rosters. Doing so has the potential to lead to conflicts of interest between the family and their employer.

SSES recommends that teachers and therapists review relevant district and school policies as well as professional standards before applying and/or providing services.

Can parents be reimbursed for goods and/or services?

No. The SSES program is not set up for reimbursements for goods or services. Families can only use the funds in their ClassWallet account to purchase goods and services from vendors approved for inclusion in the SSES program.

If you see an article or other marketing materials from ClassWallet that refer to reimbursements, know that this isn’t a supported feature of the Texas SSES program.

What services can be paid for with SSES funds?

Services paid for with SSES funds MUST provide a direct educational benefit to the student. For example, services which are not educational in nature such as daycare; or services which do not provide a direct benefit such as legal advocacy fees or evaluation fees are NOT able to be paid with SSES funds.

If there is a question regarding whether SSES funds can pay for a service, we recommend checking with the SSES staff beforehand, you can email the SSES program at SSESpurchasing@region10.org.

Must tutors have a special education certification to provide services?

Anyone providing academic tutoring must have a current, valid Texas Educator Certificate (TEC). However, it is not required that an academic tutor have a special education certification.

Is there a maximum per hour charge for services provided?

All invoices and receipts for goods and services are evaluated by the SSES program. Vendors and service providers may be denied access if they are found to charge excessive rates.