COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 14

May 7, 2004

ADMINISTRATIVE

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Pre-accreditation Eligibility and Reporting of Other Information Required by the Board of Education

The Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia adopted by the state Board of Education in 2000 prescribe an annual accrediting cycle for schools and require that schools certify compliance with certain provisions of the standards as a prerequisite to accreditation. The regulations state:

As a prerequisite to the awarding of an accreditation rating as defined in 8 VAC 20-131-300, each new or existing school shall document, in a manner prescribed by the Board, the following: (i) the divisions promotion/retention policies developed in accordance with the requirements of 8 VAC 20-131-30, (ii) its compliance with the requirements to offer courses that will allow students to complete the graduation requirements in 8 VAC 20-131-50, (iii) the ability to offer the instructional program prescribed in 8 VAC 20-131-70 through 8 VAC 20-131-100, (iv) the

leadership and staffing requirements of 8 VAC 20-131-210 through 8 VAC 20-131-240, and (v) the facilities and safety provisions of 8 VAC 20-131-260 (8 VAC 20-131-280.F).

Additionally, the Board of Education requires schools and school divisions to report on and certify other requirements not associated with the pre-accreditation process. This information is also being collected as a part of this process.

The board also adopted a policy to identify various educational entities in the state that would be recognized as "schools" for accreditation purposes. Institutions that do not report fall membership will not be accredited independently; however, facilities that provide instruction for students who are reported in fall membership data at other schools are not fully relieved of the responsibility for meeting applicable standards.

Pre-accreditation eligibility and certain other information required by the board will be entered through the single sign-on (SSWS) Web-based application for the 2003-2004 school year named Pre-Accreditation Eligibility (PACE). PACE is accessible at https://eb01.vak12ed.edu/ssws

The following suggestions are made to expedite your collection and reporting of PACE information:

1. Entering the data will require the use of an Internet browser. Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher or Netscape 6.0 or higher must be used. Please ensure the availability of either browser version at the site(s) at which data will be entered.

2. Earlier this year, a contact person in your division reported certain school information through the School and Staff Administration Data Collection (School ID). To eliminate delays in entering PACE data, please have your school and staff administration contact person ensure that the name and contact information has been entered for the accreditation (PACE) contact person AND that the appropriate level of child care ("pre-school" or "school-age") has been indicated under focus areas for each school that operates these programs. NOTE: Do not report Headstart, Even-start, other educational programs, or programs offered under contract to an outside provider as a childcare program.

3. If the school and staff administration contact person determines that information described above has been submitted incorrectly or that no information has been submitted, he or she must take the necessary steps to correct the information (using Web-based application directions provided earlier) at least one day prior to entering data in the PACE application.

Anyone entering or reviewing PACE data must have a login and password. Your SSWS account manager must assign a login and password to the following individuals:

1. the accreditation (PACE) contact person;

2. any central office staff responsible for entering or reviewing data; and

3. any building principal who will be responsible for entering and reviewing PACE data for his/her school.

School divisions will be able to submit PACE data to the departments database only if the above items are in place.

Please note the following:

• PACE information from individual schools is entered through the SSWS PACE application.
• Instructions for answering questions and verification forms are available through the PACE application.
• In all instances, corrective action plans are imbedded in the PACE data that are entered.
• School divisions must submit copies of their promotion/retention policies electronically to accredit@mail.vak12ed.edu or by mail with the signed verification sheet.
• The divisions data must be submitted and a signed verification sheet returned to the Department of Education by Friday, June 4, 2004, in the manner prescribed by the directions provided on the website. You will access the verification report through a link on the PACE application. This link will be visible when data from all schools in your division have been entered into PACE.
• Five workdays after the due date, the PACE application window will lock. Division superintendents of school divisions needing to enter data must contact the office of accreditation to obtain access to the PACE application.

A detailed timeline is attached to this memo that clarifies further PACE data collection activities. If you have any questions or require further information or technical assistance, please contact Marsha Owens, Ed Holstrom, or Cheri Magill in the Office of Accreditation at (804) 786-1062.

JLD/cm

Attachment: /administrators/superintendents_memos/2004/adm014a.pdf