| TO: | Division Superintendents |
| FROM: | Jo Lynne DeMary
Superintendent of Public Instruction |
| SUBJECT: | Transmittal of the 2001 Standards of Quality |
This memorandum provides information regarding the changes to the Code of Virginia’s Standards of Quality (SOQ), §§ 22.1-253.13:1 through 22.1-253.13:8, passed by the 2001 General Assembly. The revisions were effective July 1, 2001, unless otherwise noted. There are two versions of Standards 1, 3, and 4 in the SOQ: a version effective until July 1, 2003, and another effective on July 1, 2003.
Attached is a copy of a highlighted version of the SOQ that includes the changes noted in italics and deletions. An enactment clause in § 22.1-253.13.6, as amended by Senate Bill 1057, is noted in boldface type. Also attached is a copy of the SOQ, as amended.
The 2001 General Assembly revised the SOQ through the following legislation:
House Bill 2401 permitted each school board to devise, in reference to the awarding of diplomas to secondary school students, a mechanism for calculating class rankings that takes into consideration whether the student has taken a required class more than one time and has had any prior earned grade purged for that class. See § 22.1-253.13:4 of the Code.
House Bill 2674 restored language inadvertently deleted through a drafting error. The restored language states that, effective July 1, 2003, requirements for a standard high school diploma must include at least two sequential electives. See § 22.1-253.13:3 of the Code.
Senate Bill 1055 replaced the term vocational educationwith the term career and technical education throughout the Code. See §§ 22.1-253.13:1 and 22.1-253.13:4.
Senate Bill 1057 included an enactment clause that specifies that school boards may use any educational technology funds provided in the appropriation act for career and technical education programs. See
§ 22.1-253.13:6.
Senate Bill 1391 required the Board of Education to authorize an elective course in comparative religion for graduation credit in grades 9 through 12. See § 22.1-253.13:3.
I hope that you will find this information helpful. You can find a final legislative report for the 2001 General Assembly session on the department’s website at www.pen.k12.va.us/ under Legislation on the Policy and Public Affairs Web page.
Please contact Dr. Cynthia Cave, director of policy, at (804) 371-0558 or ccave@mail.vak12ed.edu) if you need additional information.
JLD/SGP/cjb
Attachments