COMMONWEALTH OF
VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 77
April 15, 2005
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo
Lynne DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Transmittal of the Statement of Administrative Impact and Projected Costs of Implementation for the Proposed Regulations Governing the Re-enrollment of Students Committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice
(8 VAC 20-660-10 et seq.) |
As part of its responsibility for promulgating new
regulations or revisions to existing regulations, the Board of Education is
required to develop a statement of administrative impact and projected cost to
school divisions of implementing and complying with such regulations on school
divisions. The Board and the Department of Education are required to send a
copy of the statement to each division superintendent. (Refer to Section
22.1-17 of the Code of Virginia).
The Code
establishes the responsibility of the Board of Education to promulgate
regulations for the re-enrollment of children who have been in the custody of
the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) into the public schools as follows:
22.1-17.1. Regulations for reenrollment.
The Board of Education, in cooperation with the Board of
Correctional Education, shall promulgate regulations for the reenrollment in
the public schools of children who have been in the custody of the Department
of Juvenile Justice. Such regulations shall include the components required in
a reenrollment plan and shall provide for consistency in the curricula,
standards and policies between the educational programs required by this title,
and those of the Board of Correctional Education.
The proposed regulations are new and present a procedure for re-enrollment of students into the public schools when they have been in the custody of the juvenile justice system and receiving instruction through the Department of Correctional Education. The regulations would provide for the exchange of educational information concerning students among the Departments of Juvenile Justice and Correctional Education and the public school divisions.
It is the intent of
the Board of Education, through these regulations, to:
Create a
positive impact on the family, the student, court services, school divisions
and correctional centers, as they are seeking to continue the students
education upon his or her release from a juvenile correctional center
Provide for
consistency in curricula, standards, and polices in all educational
programs
Provide for the
timely transfer of information by court services, school divisions, and
correctional centers
Provide
students with timely involvement in appropriate educational programs while in
the correctional center and local school divisions upon their release from the
correctional center
Encourage
dissemination of information, and increase public knowledge about these
regulations and the re-enrollment procedures overall
Enhance
communication, cooperation, and coordination of services among the public
systems required to provide for the educational needs of juvenile parolees
It is the goal of
the Board of Education, through these regulations, to identify and define the
roles and responsibilities of the participants and the required components of
the re-enrollment plan and its implementation. The full text of the proposed
regulations is available at
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/studentsrvcs/proposedre-enrollmentregs.pdf
The proposed regulations will specify the procedures
for a smooth uninterrupted transition back into the public school system for
students who have been in juvenile correctional centers and have been receiving
education from the Department of Correctional Education. By establishing a
process for exchange of student records, with procedures, roles and
responsibilities, and timelines delineated, re-enrollment and planning for the
students continued education can take place on a timely basis prior to a
students release from the juvenile justice system. Improving the re-enrollment process should facilitate the
attendance and continued educational progress of students.
School divisions should be able to undertake the implementation of the Proposed Regulations Governing the Re-enrollment of Students Committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice within existing budgets. The regulations would impact primarily middle and high schools and alternative schools. During the 2004 fiscal year, 669, or 61 percent, of the 1,091 juveniles released from juvenile correctional centers were under the age of 18.
School divisions will be informed of the public comment period for these regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Cynthia A. Cave, director of student services, at (804) 225-2818, or Cynthia.Cave@doe.virginia.gov.
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