INFORMATIONAL

The Department of Education has consolidated the data 
collection for four different state and federal reports.  
These reports require collection of data from school 
divisions and state operated programs regarding certain 
discipline, crime, and violence incidents. 

In an effort to improve the reporting process, a focus 
group met with local school division personnel during the 
spring of 1999.  As a result of that meeting, the 
Department of Education has developed a consolidated data 
reporting system, providing the data necessary to meet the 
following reporting requirements:  

* Virginia's crime and violence report (Code of Virginia, 
Section 22.1-277.01);
* Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
report on suspension and expulsion of students with 
disabilities;
* Federal Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act 
report;
* Federal Gun Free Schools Act report.

This information also serves as the basis for the School 
Report Card elements regarding crime and violence.  

Questions regarding the above data requirements can be 
directed to Department of Education staff as follows:

* Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements: 
Paul Raskopf, Office of Special Education and Student 
Services; (804) 225-2080, praskopf@pen.k12.va.us.  
* Virginia's crime and violence reporting requirements:  
Marsha Owens Hubbard, Office of Special Education and 
Student Services; (804) 225-2928, mohubbar@pen.k12.va.us
* Safe and Drug Free Schools and Community Act and Gun Free 
Schools Act:  Arlene Cundiff, Office of Compensatory 
Programs; (804) 225-2871; acundiff@pen.k12.va.us
* Virginia Performance School Report Card: Division of  
Assessment and Reporting; (804) 225-2102.

During the 1998-99 school year, additional data was 
required as part of a joint Department of Education - 
Commission on Youth study of alternative education, 
suspension, and expulsion.  We thank all school divisions 
for their assistance in meeting these additional reporting 
requirements.

These attached data elements are required for all 
discipline incidents during the 1999-2000 school year 
(including the 2000 summer school). Any violation of the 
local school board code of conduct policy should be 
reported, regardless of whether the student was suspended 
or expelled for the incident. In-school suspensions shall 
be counted in addition to out-of-school suspensions.

The discipline collection can be completed using either 
Excel 5.0 or Excel 97. The discipline spreadsheet can be 
downloaded from the Department of Education's website at 
www.pen.k12.va.us by selecting "Data and Publications" and 
then selecting "Discipline, Crime and Violence Data 
Collection, 1999-2000" from the "Collections" listing.  The 
complete address is 
www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Publications/Discipline/datacoll.col
l.htm to access the discipline spreadsheet.  

Detailed instructions for completing and submitting the 
data are enclosed.  File layouts are also enclosed for 
those school divisions that prefer to submit the discipline 
data as an ASCII flat file.  Questions regarding use of the 
spreadsheet or ASCII flat file should be directed to Janet 
Christopher, Management Information Systems at (804) 786-
1212 or jchristo@mail.vak12ed.edu.

In addition, the Department of Education wishes to create a 
listing of the contact persons for these reports.  Attached 
is a form to identify the contact person for this reporting 
activity.

A Department of Education Hour is scheduled for October 26, 
1999 at 2:00 p.m. to review the data reporting requirements 
and respond to questions from the field.

The data will be due to the Department on September 15, 
2000.  Additional information regarding the reporting 
process will be disseminated in a later memo.  Questions 
regarding the Annual Report on Discipline, Crime and 
Violence data reporting process can be directed to Paul 
Raskopf, Office of Special Education and Student Services; 
(804) 225-2080, praskopf@pen.k12.va.us.


PDS/lpdf

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

Attachment A

Annual Report on Discipline, Crime and Violence 

Local contact person


School Division:  

Contact Person:

Title:  

Phone:                       Fax:  

Address Line 1: 

Address Line 2: 
City:                        State:           Zip:   
E-mail: 

Return by September 30, 1999 to:

Paul Raskopf
Virginia Department of Education
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA  23218-2120
(804) 371-8796 (Fax)
praskopf@pen.k12.va.us
(804) 225-2080 (office)