Adopting Revisions to the Guidance Document for the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia
Resolution Number 2006-27
October 25, 2006
The Board of Education adopts the revisions to the guidance document for the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, as follows:
Title of Section in Proposed Guidelines |
Relationship to Current Guidelines (New Section or Update to Current Section) |
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Student Achievement Expectations (8 VAC 20-131-30) |
Update to current section - addresses Remediation Recovery in grades 4, 6, and 7 (page 1) |
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Requirements for Graduation (8 VAC 20-131-50) |
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General Provisions |
Update to current section - courses to satisfy graduation requirements for Standard, Advanced Studies, and Modified Standard Diplomas (page 3) |
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Additional Graduation Credit Requirements |
Update to current section - language in current guidelines has been updated (page 3) |
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Sequential Electives for Graduation with a Standard or Modified Standard Diploma |
New section – defines sequential electives (page 5) |
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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) |
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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) |
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Diploma Seals |
Update to current section – for Governor's Seal requirements (page 8) |
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Transfer for Students (8 VAC 20-131-60) |
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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) |
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First-time Transfer Students |
New section - defines first-time transfer student (page 11) |
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Waiver of Verified Credit |
Update to current section - includes website link to waiver application form (page 12) |
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Instructional Program in Elementary and Middle Schools (8 VAC 20-131-80 and 8 VAC 20-131-90) |
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Physical Fitness |
New section - provides broad parameters for school divisions to incorporate physical fitness (page 14) |
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Foreign Language and Algebra I |
New section - states that school boards shall offer foreign language and Algebra I (page 15) |
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Standard and Verified Units of Credit (8 VAC 20-131-110) |
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Locally-Awarded Verified Credit |
Update to current section - applies to students beginning with those students entering ninth-grade class in 2003-2004 (page 17) |
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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) |
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Expedited Retake |
Update to current section - new title to replace title in the current guidelines: "Alternative Provisions for Awarding Verified Credit" (page 18) |
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Alternative Provisions for Awarding |
Update to current section - addresses other states' tests |
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Verified Credit |
(page 19) |
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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) |
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Administrative and Staff Support; Staffing Requirements (8 VAC 20-131-240) |
New section - addresses the secondary planning period (page 21) |
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Expectations for School Accountability (8 VAC 20-131-280) |
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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) |
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Waivers for Special Purpose Schools |
Update to current section - now incorporates alternative accreditation criteria (page 24) |
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Procedures for Certifying Accreditation Eligibility (8 VAC 20-131-290) |
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Experimental or Innovative Programs |
New section – includes 1998 Board-approved definitions (page 26) |
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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) |
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Action Requirements for Schools That Are Denied Accreditation (8 VAC 20-131-315) |
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School Division Requirements |
New section – outlines notification process for schools (page 30) |
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Memorandum of Understanding |
New section– outlines parameters for and preparation and approval of MOU (page 30) |
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Reconstitution |
New section– outlines parameters for Board approval of this action (page 32) |
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Closing a School |
New section – references current procedures within the Department for changing a school's status (page 33) |
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Annual Reports |
New section – general reporting requirements (page 33) |
Mark E. Emblidge, President
Board of Education
Adopted in the Minutes of the Virginia Board of Education
October 25, 2006