COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 161

August 6, 2004

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Guidelines for Alternatives to Animal Dissection

On July 21, 2004, the Virginia Board of Education approved the Guidelines for Alternatives to Dissection. This was pursuant to House Bill 1018 of the 2004 General Assembly that amended the Code of Virginia to include 22.1-200.01 directing the Board of Education to establish guidelines to be implemented by school divisions for alternatives to animal dissection. The wording of the General Assemblys legislation follows:

22.1-200.01 Alternatives to animal dissection.

Local school divisions shall provide students with alternatives to animal dissection techniques within the relevant public school curriculum or course. The Board of Education shall establish guidelines to be implemented by local school divisions regarding such alternative dissection techniques. Such guidelines shall address, but shall not be limited to, (i) the use of detailed models of animal anatomy and computer simulations as alternatives to dissection; (ii) notification of students and parents of the option to decline to participate in animal dissection; and (iii) such other issues as the Board deems appropriate.

A copy of the Guidelines for Alternatives to Dissection is attached. Also, a list of free, Web-based dissection simulations is available at

http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/dissectionalternatives.html

If you have any questions regarding the Guidelines for Alternatives to Dissection, please contact Eric Rhoades (erhoades@mail.vak12ed.edu), science specialist, Office of Secondary Instructional Services, at (804) 225-2676 or Paula Klonowski (pklonows@mail.vak12ed.edu), science specialist, Office of Middle Instructional Services, at (804) 371-0249.

JLD/yba

Attachment

/administrators/superintendents_memos/2004/inf161a.pdf