COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 52

August 9, 2002

ADMINISTRATIVE

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Board of Education Guidelines for Locally Awarded Verified Credit

At its meeting on July 25, the Board of Education adopted Guidelines for Local School Boards to Award Verified Credits for the Standard Diploma to Transition Students. These guidelines implement the provisions of Senate Bill 609 and House Bill 493 adopted by the 2002 General Assembly. A copy of the guidelines is attached.

The awarding of verified credit using this process applies only to the four student-selected verified credits required for the Standard Diploma for the ninth-grade classes of 2000-2001, 2001-2002, and 2002-2003. This process does not apply to awarding verified credit in English or mathematics. Verified credit awarded through this process cannot be used if the student changes to the Advanced Studies Diploma track.

Please note that local school boards are required to adopt policies to govern procedures used to award local verified credit. Also note that students must have taken a Standards of Learning test in a subject area twice before being able to access this process.

I hope you and your students will find this additional flexibility helpful as we move toward the graduating class of 2004. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Charles W. Finley, assistant superintendent for accountability services, (mailto:cfinley@pen.k12.va.us) at (804) 786-9421, or any member of the staff of the Office of Accreditation (mailto:accredit@mail.vak12ed.edu) at (804) 786-1062.

JLD/cwf/pfm

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