COMMONWEALTH
OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
P.O.
BOX 2120
RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 118
May 28, 2004
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Announcement of Guidelines for the Establishment of
Continuation High Schools or Programs and Reminders of Options for Earning
Verified Credits |
The purpose of this
memorandum is to communicate an additional option school divisions have
available to assist students in earning a high school diploma. We also take this opportunity to remind
school divisions of the options available for students pursuing a standard or
modified standard diploma.
The 2004 General Assembly passed SB 553 that amends 22.1-26 of the Code
of Virginia to allow joint or regional school boards to establish a
continuation high school or program that would provide educational options that extend beyond the twelfth
grade for students who have not met the requirements for a high school diploma. On
May 26, 2004, the Board of Education adopted the attached guidelines for the
establishment of continuation high schools or programs. The arrangements, organization, and
operating procedures for continuation high schools or programs are governed by
the Board of Educations Regulations for Jointly Owned and Operated Schools and
Jointly Operated Programs (8VAC 20-280-10 and 8VAC 280-20).
The establishment of
a joint or regionally operated continuation high school or program must be
approved by the Board of Education if the school or program (i) is subject to
the Regulations Establishing Standards
for Accrediting Virginias Public Schools, or (ii) requires a waiver of
Board of Education regulations. The Department of Education will review
proposals submitted by the school divisions. The Department of Education will
review the documentation and submit to the Board of Education a summary of the
proposal and all waivers that require Board of Education approval prior to the
school or program offering services to students. School divisions may establish
joint or regional continuation high school programs that do not involve waivers
of regulations without Board of Education approval.
In addition to
continuation high schools or programs, school divisions have several options
available to assist students in earning verified credits. As part of the
Governors Project Graduation initiative the following resources are available:
As a reminder of
additional actions taken by the Board of Education regarding the options
available for students who should graduate in 2004, I refer you to the
following superintendents memoranda and Web postings:
For more information contact Maureen B. Hijar
(mhijar@mail.vak12ed.edu), director of secondary instruction, at (804) 225-2894
or Dr. Sylinda Gilchrist (sgilchri@mail.vak12ed.edu),
school guidance specialist at (804) 786-9377.
JLD/mbh/sbg
Attachment
/administrators/superintendents_memos/2004/inf118a.pdf