COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 48
March 29, 2002
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Technical Assistance
Document on Sample Courses of Study that Satisfy Standard Diploma Graduation
Requirements |
Beginning with the ninth-grade class of
2000-2001, students who wish to receive a Standard Diploma must earn 22
standard units of credit and 6 verified units of credit distributed among
content areas and courses as prescribed in 8 VAC 20-131-50.B of Regulations Establishing Standards for
Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia. During a three-year
transition period applicable only to ninth graders in 2000-2001, 2001-2002, and
2002-2003, students have additional flexibility in how they may earn the six
required verified credits:
Two verified units of credit in English
Four additional verified units of credit
of the students own choosing (rather than in specific content areas as
prescribed by the Board of Education).
Students may
earn the four additional verified credits in courses with end-of-course SOL
tests or in courses in computer science, technology, or other areas as
prescribed by the Board of Education (8 VAC 20-131-50.B). The board has approved a variety of
additional tests and career and technical education licenses and
certifications that may be used to verify student-selected credits, thus
providing the transitional students with many options and course combinations
to earn verified credits. This list of additional tests, licenses, and
certifications was posted as an attachment to Superintendents Informational
Memorandum, No. 73, May 11, 2001, and is available on the Internet at: /administrators/superintendents_memos/2001/inf073a.pdf.
Attachment A
to todays memorandum contains a technical assistance document that outlines a
variety of sample courses of study
that students who are included in the three-year transition period might use to
earn a Standard Diploma. In these examples, students may earn verified credits
by using end-of-course SOL tests alone or in combination with other tests,
licenses, or certifications that the board has approved. School personnel,
students, and parents should remember that the courses of study provided are
only samples, and that many additional combinations are possible. For further information please contact Dr.
Linda Wallinger (mailto:lwalling@pen.k12.va.us),
director of secondary instruction, at 804-225-2880. Questions related to courses in career and technical education
should be addressed to Dr. Neils Brooks (mailto:nbrooks@mail.vak12ed.edu),
director of career and technical education, at 804-225-2051. For questions related to specific content
courses, please contact the content specialists in the office of secondary
instructional services as follows:
English
Anita Wallace (mailto:awallace@mail.vak12ed.edu)
or 804-371-7585
Mathematics
Deborah Kiger Lyman (mailto:dlyman@mail.vak12ed.edu)
or 804-786-6418
History and
Social Science Colleen Bryant (mailto:cbryant@mail.vak12ed.edu)
or 804-786-4640
Science
Delores Dalton Dunn (mailto:ddalton@mail.vak12ed.edu)
or 804-371-0778
JLD/LMW/lgh
Attachments
/administrators/superintendents_memos/2002/inf048a.pdf