COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education
July 10, 2009
TO: Division Superintendents
FROM: Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction
This memorandum provides information regarding the changes to the Standards of Quality (SOQ), §§ 22.1-253.13:1 through 22.1-253.13:8 of the Code of Virginia, passed by the 2009 General Assembly. The revisions are effective July 1, 2009, unless otherwise noted.
Attached is a copy of the standards with the changes made by the 2009 General Assembly noted in italics.
The 2009 General Assembly revised the SOQ through the following legislation:
HB 2112 requires local school boards to implement educational objectives in middle and high school that emphasize economic education and financial literacy.
See § 22.1-253.13:1 of the Code.
HB 2517 directs the Board of Education in prescribing Standards of Learning assessments to also provide the option of industry certification and state licensure examinations as a student-selected verified credit. Additionally, to assess the educational progress of students, the Board of Education is required to select appropriate industry certification and state licensure examinations.
See § 22.1-253.13:3 of the Code.
HB 2619 provides that course credits earned for online courses taken in the Department of Education's Virtual Virginia program shall transfer to Virginia public schools in accordance with provisions in the Board of Education's Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, 8 VAC 20-131.
See § 22.1-253.13:4 of the Code.
You may also access all eight standards of the Standards of Quality at the following Web address: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC22010000013000020000000.
I hope that you will find this information helpful. You can find the final legislative reports for the 2009 General Assembly session on the Department's website at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/legislation/index.shtml.
Please contact the Office of Policy and Communications at (804) 225-2092 or by e-mail at policy@doe.virginia.gov, if you need additional information.
PIW / MJP / kfg
Attachment
a. 2009 Standards of Quality (PDF)