• Intended for certain students at the secondary level who have a disability and are unlikely to meet the credit requirements for a Standard Diploma
• Eligibility and participation in the program determined by the student’s IEP team and the student, when appropriate
• Decisions of eligibility and participation may be made at any point after the student’s eighth- grade year
• Must have written consent from parent/guardian for a student to choose this diploma program
• The student must:
• be allowed to pursue a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma at any time throughout his or her high school career
• not be excluded from courses and tests required to earn a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma
• pass literacy and numeracy competency assessments as prescribed by the Board
• For students who entered the ninth grade prior to 2000-01, the literacy and numeracy competency assessments were the reading and mathematics subtests of the LPT.
• For students who entered the ninth grade in 2000-01 and beyond, the literacy and numeracy competency assessments are the eighth-grade English Reading test and the eighth-grade Mathematics SOL test (Board action – November 30, 2000).
• The Board has approved the use of end-of-course assessments as substitute assessments for the literacy and numeracy competency requirement. In addition, students pursuing the Modified Standard Diploma shall have opportunities for expedited retest on the 8 th grade tests. For complete information, refer to Superintendent’s Memorandum, Informational, No. 30, March 7, 2003, found at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/suptsmemos/2003/inf030.html.
• The Board also approved four additional substitute assessments to satisfy the literacy and numeracy requirements for students pursuing a Modified Standard Diploma. Please refer to Superintendent’s Memorandum, Informational, No. 53, March 5, 2004, found at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/suptsmemos/2004/inf053.html.

NOTE 1: Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall include content from among applications of algebra, geometry, personal finance, and statistics in courses that have been approved by the Board.

NOTE 2: Courses complete shall include content from at least two of the following: applications of earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics in courses approved by the Board.

NOTE 3: Courses completed to satisfy this requirement shall include one unit of credit in U.S. and Virginia History and one unit of credit in U.S. and Virginia Government in courses approved by the Board.

NOTE 4: Courses to satisfy this requirement shall include a least two sequential electives in the same manner required for the Standard Diploma.

Approved Courses for the Modified Standard Diploma
A list of courses to satisfy the graduation requirements for the Modified Standard Diploma is attached to Superintendent’s Memo No. 63, December 15, 2000.

Electives

Sequential Electives

Beginning with the graduating class of 2003, at least two sequential electives are required for the Modified Standard Diploma. See Superintendent’s Memorandum, Interpretive, No. 1, May 25, 2001 and Guidelines Governing Sequential Electives - Approved by the Board on February 5, 2002 – Attachment A to Superintendent’s Memorandum, Interpretive, No. 1, March 8, 2002.

• Sequential electives may be in any discipline as long as the courses are not specifically required for graduation.
• Courses used to satisfy the one unit of credit in a fine arts or career and technical education course may be used to partially satisfy this requirement.
• For career and technical education electives, check with the Office of Career and Technical Education at (804) 225-2051.
• An exploratory course followed by an introductory course may not be used to satisfy the requirement.
• An introductory course followed by another level of the same course of study may be used.
• Sequential electives do not have to be taken in consecutive years.

Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education - The Modified Standard Diploma contain a requirement for one standard unit of credit in a fine arts or career and technical education course. The Standards of Accreditation do not require that courses used to satisfy the requirement of a fine arts or career and technical education course be approved by the board. Therefore, local school officials should use their own judgment in determining which courses students take to satisfy the requirement of a unit of credit in fine arts or career and technical education for the Modified Standard Diploma.