Adopting Revisions to the Guidance Document for the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia

Title of Section in Proposed Guidelines

Relationship to Current Guidelines (New Section or Update to Current Section)

Student Achievement Expectations (8 VAC 20-131-30)

Update to current section - addresses Remediation Recovery in grades 4, 6, and 7 (page 1)

Requirements for Graduation (8 VAC 20-131-50)

General Provisions

Update to current section - courses to satisfy graduation requirements for Standard, Advanced Studies, and Modified Standard Diplomas (page 3)

Additional Graduation Credit Requirements

Update to current section - language in current guidelines has been updated (page 3)

Sequential Electives for Graduation with a Standard or Modified Standard Diploma

New section – defines sequential electives (page 5)

Awarding Differentiated Numbers of Verified Credit For Career and Technical Education Certification and Licensure Examinations

New section - addresses the option to substitute in the career and technical track either the student selected verified credit or verified credit in science or history/social science (page 7)

Literacy and Numeracy Requirements for the Modified Standard Diploma

Update to current section - removes reference to Literacy Passport Test and now addresses Standards of Learning tests (page 8)

Diploma Seals

Update to current section – for Governor's Seal requirements (page 8)

Transfer for Students (8 VAC 20-131-60)

Transfer from a Nonpublic School

New section - addresses transfer students from schools accredited by members of Virginia Council for Private Education and other schools (page 10)

First-time Transfer Students

New section - defines first-time transfer student (page 11)

Waiver of Verified Credit

Update to current section - includes website link to waiver application form (page 12)

Instructional Program in Elementary and Middle Schools (8 VAC 20-131-80 and 8 VAC 20-131-90)

Physical Fitness

New section - provides broad parameters for school divisions to incorporate physical fitness (page 14)

Foreign Language and Algebra I

New section - states that school boards shall offer foreign language and Algebra I (page 15)

Standard and Verified Units of Credit (8 VAC 20-131-110)

Locally-Awarded Verified Credit

Update to current section - applies to students beginning with those students entering ninth-grade class in 2003-2004 (page 17)

Mastery of Course Content and Objectives

Update to current section - new title to replace title in the Current Guidelines: "Alternative Provisions for Awarding Verified Credit" (page 18)

Expedited Retake

Update to current section - new title to replace title in the current guidelines: "Alternative Provisions for Awarding Verified Credit" (page 18)

Alternative Provisions for Awarding

Update to current section - addresses other states' tests

Verified Credit

(page 19)

Standard School Year and School Day (8 VAC 20-131-150)

Update to current section - addresses alternative school schedules as outlined in the Code of Virginia (page 20)

Administrative and Staff Support; Staffing Requirements (8 VAC 20-131-240)

New section - addresses the secondary planning period (page 21)

Expectations for School Accountability (8 VAC 20-131-280)

Calculating Accreditation Ratings of Schools

Update to current section - for testing at grades 4, 6, and 7 and for the increase in benchmarks (page 22)

Waivers for Special Purpose Schools

Update to current section - now incorporates alternative accreditation criteria (page 24)

Procedures for Certifying Accreditation Eligibility (8 VAC 20-131-290)

Experimental or Innovative Programs

New section – includes 1998 Board-approved definitions (page 26)

Action Requirements for Schools That Are Accredited with Warning or Accreditation Withheld/Improving School Near Accreditation (8 VAC 20-131-310)

Update to current section - incorporates the academic review process and the school improvement plan (page 27)

Action Requirements for Schools That Are Denied Accreditation (8 VAC 20-131-315)

School Division Requirements

New section – outlines notification process for schools (page 30)

Memorandum of Understanding

New section– outlines parameters for and preparation and approval of MOU (page 30)

Reconstitution

New section– outlines parameters for Board approval of this action (page 32)

Closing a School

New section – references current procedures within the Department for changing a school's status (page 33)

Annual Reports

New section – general reporting requirements (page 33)