INFORMATIONAL

  On Tuesday, February 25, 1997, the Virginia Board of
  Education reviewed proposed revisions to the Standards of
  Accreditation for Public Schools in Virginia.  The proposals
  were approved for distribution to interested persons and
  organizations throughout the state as a part of the public
  comment process prior to final adoption by the Board.  

  As a part of the public comment process, seven public
  hearings will be held throughout the state beginning in late
  March.  A listing of the dates and locations that have been
  set to date is attached.

  In order that we comply with all of the requirements of the
  Administrative Process Act (APA) and time line directives of
  the Board, the format and numbering of sections of the
  proposed revised standards have changed from what was
  originally posted on the Department's home page on the World
  Wide Web at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/Anthology/VDOE/.  We
  are posting the version that will be published in the
  Virginia Register on March 17.  In addition, the Department
  of Education is printing copies of the proposed revisions to
  distribute to local division central offices and to all
  public schools.  The printed copies will not be available
  for another week to ten days.

  I look forward to hearing from you after you have had an
  opportunity to review the proposals.  Specific questions
  should be directed to Charles Finley, Principal Specialist
  for Policy Analysis at 804/ 225-2747 or via VaPEN to
  cfinley@pen.k12.va.us.

  RTL/cwf

  Enclosure:   A hard copy of this memo and its enclosure
               will be sent to the superintendent's office



                VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION

                   PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE 
              PROPOSED REGULATIONS ESTABLISHING
           STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
                         IN VIRGINIA 

     Please note:  All public hearings begin at 7:00 p.m. 
  Registration for those wishing to speak begins at 6:30 p.m. 
  Speakers are requested to limit their remarks to three
  minutes each.  In the event of  a large number of persons
  signing up to speak, the hearing chairman may request that
  the time limit for each speaker be shortened to less than
  three minutes.  A written copy of remarks is requested, but
  not required. 

     Persons wishing to submit their comments by mail are
  invited to do so.  Written comments may be submitted until
  May 17, 1997 to Charles W. Finley, Principal for Policy
  Analysis, Virginia Department of Education. P.O. Box 2120,
  Richmond, VA 23218-2120 or by e-mail to
  cfinley@pen.k12.va.us.  

     Public hearings are scheduled as follows:

     Tuesday, March 25        Patrick County High School
                              Rt. 5
                              Stuart, VA 24171

     Wednesday, March 26      West Point High School
                              2700 Mattaponi Avenue
                              West Point, VA 23181          
     Tuesday, April 1         Rural Retreat High School
                              Rural Retreat, VA 24368

     Tuesday, April 8         Robert E. Lee High School
                              1200 N. Coalter Street
                              Staunton, VA 24401

     Wednesday, April 9       Landstown Middle School
                              2204 Recreation Drive
                              Virginia Beach, VA 23456

     Tuesday, April 15        Highland Springs High School
                              15 S. Oak Avenue
                              Highland Springs, VA 23075

     Wednesday, April 16      Loudoun County High School
                              415 Dry Mill Road SW
                              Leesburg, VA 20175

  Note:   The Board of Education may set additional hearing
          sites.  Announcements of the additional site(s)
          will be distributed to all media statewide.