INFORMATIONAL

 Seniors who anticipate having the required credits to graduate by August 31, 2000, 
and who transfer from out of state, or private schools, or home instruction into
Virginia public schools after the spring 2000 Literacy Passport Test (LPT) 
administration may not have had an opportunity to take the LPT.  Yet, these students 
are held to the LPT requirement for receiving the standard or advanced studies 
diploma in Virginia.  A reminder as to whom the LPT graduation requirement applies 
is in Attachment A to this memo.

According to Informational Superintendent's Memo No. 153, November 17, 1995, these
students should be afforded the opportunity to receive their diplomas from their 
sending schools.  Should this not be possible, these students will be provided one 
opportunity to take the test prior to the close of the school year.  This special 
testing will be only for those seniors entering Virginia public schools from out of 
state, or private schools, or home instruction, who are expected to have the 
required credits to graduate by August 31, 2000, and will not have been tested on 
the LPT.

Students will be eligible to take only those tests that they did not attempt during 
the spring 2000 administration.  For example, a senior who transfers into Virginia 
public schools in time to take the writing test in February but too late to take the
reading and the mathematics tests would be eligible to take only the mathematics and 
the reading tests prior to the end of the 1999-2000 school year.

Division directors of testing will be responsible for contacting the Department of 
Education to arrange a testing opportunity for the students.  Test opportunities 
for these students will be handled on a case-by-case basis.  A materials request 
form and more detailed instructions for conducting this special testing will be 
sent directly to each division director of testing.

Questions regarding these special testing arrangements or the LPT in general, may 
be directed to the staff of the Division of Assessment and Reporting at (804) 
225-2102.

JLD/aw

Attachment


                             Attachment A

A Reminder as to Whom the LPT Graduation Requirement Applies:

In 1998 the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation phasing out the Literacy 
Passport Test (LPT).  Students in the class of 2003 will be the last class required 
to pass the LPT to earn a standard or advanced studies diploma.  This requirement to
pass the LPT extends to all regular education, special education, and limited 
English proficient students graduating through the class of 2003.

The LPT requirement currently extends to all adult education students.  Any adult 
student receiving a standard or advanced studies diploma is required to meet the LPT 
requirement for the diploma.  Adult students participating in an external diploma 
program are granted a standard diploma and thus are also required to meet the LPT 
requirement before the diploma can be awarded.

Adult students, who are not enrolled in an adult education program, and are not 
eligible to be counted in the average daily membership (ADM) of a school division, 
must be treated as adult education students for the purposes of the LPT and must, 
therefore, pass the LPT to be eligible for a standard or advanced studies diploma.  
(Please see Informational Superintendent's Memo No. 109, June 7, 1996, for more 
information about which students may be counted in ADM).