INFORMATIONAL

There are less than 60 days before the clock tips over to January 1, 2000.  At 
that time we will begin to see how well we have prepared our infrastructure to
function properly as the year rolls from 1999 to 2000.  Over the last 15 months,
the Department of Education has requested school divisions to keep us informed 
of the progress of Year 2000 preparations through the monthly checklist and signed
certification of Year 2000 awareness.  More than 90 school divisions have signed
the certification form indicating their understanding of the importance and 
potential for disruption due to the "Millennium Bug."

Last spring, the U.S. Department of Education conducted a survey of school 
divisions, and 66 of Virginia's divisions responded.  The overall indication 
at that time was that most school divisions will have completed repair of 
computer infrastructure and embedded chip technology and prepared contingency 
plans by November 1999.  I have attached a recent press release from the U.S. DOE,
indicating that many school divisions nationwide remain unprepared for the Year
2000 transition. It is very important that school divisions review their Year 
2000 status.  If contingency plans are not complete, they should be developed
and tested during the remaining two months of 1999.  Valuable information on 
Year 2000 planning can be found at the President's Y2K Conversion Council 
(www.y2k.gov) and the US Department of Education (www.ed.gov/y2k).

PDS/DJW/mwc

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