ADMINISTRATIVE

  The Virginia Department of Education is responsible for the
  adoption and use of effective methods to monitor compliance
  with federal and state requirements and for ensuring prompt
  correction of identified deficiencies in program operation. 
  Recently, the Department restructured the state's monitoring
  system to provide an individualized approach to compliance
  monitoring for program improvement.    
  
  The individualized approach to compliance monitoring  is
  composed of a three-phase review process.  Phase I requires
  school divisions to conduct a self-assessment and develop a
  program improvement or corrective action plan for identified
  deficiencies. Phase II requires the Department of Education to
  review and analyze the self-assessments and other data
  collected from school divisions and determine whether or not
  there is a need for an on-site review.  Phase III requires the
  Department of Education to conduct prompt follow-up with
  school divisions on the implementation of corrective action
  plans based on agreed upon timelines.  Attachment I provides
  further explanation of the new federal program monitoring
  system and Attachment II provides the six-year cyclical
  monitoring schedule.
  
  School divisions involved in the monitoring process during the
  1996-97 school year will receive further information in early
  Fall about the federal program monitoring system.  In the
  meanwhile, if you have questions about Virginia's new
  monitoring system, you may call Thomas A. Elliott at (804)
  371-2522, or Sandra E. Ruffin at (804) 225-2768.
  
  RTL/ser
  
  Attachments (2) - This memo and its attachments will be
                    sent to the superintendent's office.