§ 22.1-253.13:4. Standard 4. Student achievement and graduation requirements.
A. Each local school board shall award diplomas to all secondary schoolstudents, including students who transfer from nonpublic schools or from homeinstruction, who earn the units of credit prescribed by the Board ofEducation, pass the prescribed tests, and meet such other requirements as maybe prescribed by the local school board and approved by the Board ofEducation. Provisions shall be made to facilitate the transfer andappropriate grade placement of students from other public secondary schools,from nonpublic schools, or from home instruction as outlined in the standardsfor accreditation. Course credits earned for online courses taken in theDepartment of Education's Virtual Virginia program shall transfer to Virginiapublic schools in accordance with provisions of the standards foraccreditation. Further, reasonable accommodation to meet the requirements fordiplomas shall be provided for otherwise qualified students with disabilitiesas needed.
In addition, each local school board may devise, vis-a-vis the award ofdiplomas to secondary school students, a mechanism for calculating classrankings that takes into consideration whether the student has taken arequired class more than one time and has had any prior earned grade for suchrequired class expunged.
Each local school board shall notify the parents of rising eleventh andtwelfth grade students of (i) the number and subject area requirements ofstandard and verified units of credit required for graduation pursuant to thestandards for accreditation and (ii) the remaining number and subject arearequirements of such units of credit the individual student requires forgraduation.
B. Students identified as disabled who complete the requirements of theirindividualized education programs shall be awarded special diplomas by localschool boards.
Each local school board shall notify the parent of such students withdisabilities who have an individualized education program and who fail tomeet the requirements for a standard or advanced studies diploma of thestudent's right to a free and appropriate education to age 21, inclusive,pursuant to Article 2 (§ 22.1-213 et seq.) of Chapter 13 of this title.
C. Students who have completed a prescribed course of study as defined by thelocal school board shall be awarded certificates of program completion bylocal school boards if they are not eligible to receive a standard, advancedstudies, modified standard, special, or general achievement diploma.
Each local school board shall provide notification of the right to a freepublic education for students who have not reached 20 years of age on orbefore August 1 of the school year, pursuant to Chapter 1 (§ 22.1-1 et seq.)of this title, to the parent of students who fail to graduate or who havefailed to achieve the number of verified units of credit required forgraduation as provided in the standards for accreditation. If such studentwho does not graduate or achieve such verified units of credit is a studentfor whom English is a second language, the local school board shall notifythe parent of the student's opportunity for a free public education inaccordance with § 22.1-5.
D. In establishing course and credit requirements for a high school diploma,the Board shall:
1. Provide for the selection of integrated learning courses meeting theStandards of Learning and approved by the Board to satisfy graduation creditrequirements, which shall include Standards of Learning testing, as necessary.
2. Establish the requirements for a standard, modified standard, or advancedstudies high school diploma, which shall include one credit in fine orperforming arts or career and technical education and one credit in UnitedStates and Virginia history. The requirements for a standard high schooldiploma shall, however, include at least two sequential electives chosen froma concentration of courses selected from a variety of options that may beplanned to ensure the completion of a focused sequence of elective courses.Students may take such focused sequence of elective courses in consecutiveyears or any two years of high school. Such focused sequence of electivecourses shall provide a foundation for further education or training orpreparation for employment, shall be identified in the Academic and CareerPlan as described in Board of Education regulations, and shall be developedby the school division, consistent with Board of Education guidelines and asapproved by the local school board.
3. Establish the requirements for a technical diploma. This diploma shallmeet or exceed the requirements of a standard diploma and will include aconcentration in career and technical education, as established in Boardregulations. A student who meets the requirement for the advanced studiesdiploma who also fulfills a concentration in career and technical educationshall receive an advanced technical diploma, or if he chooses, he shallreceive an advanced studies diploma. The Board may develop or designateassessments in career and technical education for the purposes of awardingverified credit pursuant to subdivision 6.
4. Provide, in the requirements for the verified units of credit stipulatedfor obtaining the standard or advanced studies diploma, that studentscompleting elective classes into which the Standards of Learning for anyrequired course have been integrated may take the relevant Standards ofLearning test for the relevant required course and receive, upon achieving asatisfactory score on the specific Standards of Learning assessment, averified unit of credit for such elective class that shall be deemed tosatisfy the Board's requirement for verified credit for the required course.
5. Establish a procedure to facilitate the acceleration of students thatallows qualified students, with the recommendation of the divisionsuperintendent, without completing the 140-hour class, to obtain credit forsuch class upon demonstration of mastery of the course content andobjectives. Having received credit for the course, the student shall bepermitted to sit for the relevant Standards of Learning assessment and, uponreceiving a passing score, shall earn a verified credit. Nothing in thissection shall preclude relevant school division personnel from enforcingcompulsory attendance in public schools.
6. Provide for the award of verified units of credit for passing scores onindustry certifications, state licensure examinations, and nationaloccupational competency assessments approved by the Board of Education.
School boards shall report annually to the Board of Education the number ofBoard-approved industry certifications obtained, state licensure examinationspassed, national occupational competency assessments passed, Virginiaworkplace readiness skills assessments passed, and the number of career andtechnical education completers who graduated. These numbers shall be reportedas separate categories on the School Performance Report Card.
For the purposes of this subdivision, a "career and technical educationcompleter" is a student who has met the requirements for a career andtechnical concentration or specialization and all requirements for highschool graduation or an approved alternative education program.
In addition, the Board may:
a. For the purpose of awarding verified units of credit, approve the use ofadditional or substitute tests for the correlated Standards of Learningassessment, such as academic achievement tests, industry certifications orstate licensure examinations; and
b. Permit students completing career and technical education programsdesigned to enable such students to pass such industry certificationexaminations or state licensure examinations to be awarded, upon obtainingsatisfactory scores on such industry certification or licensure examinations,the appropriate verified units of credit for one or more career and technicaleducation classes into which relevant Standards of Learning for variousclasses taught at the same level have been integrated. Such industrycertification and state licensure examinations may cover relevant Standardsof Learning for various required classes and may, at the discretion of theBoard, address some Standards of Learning for several required classes.
7. Provide for the waiver of certain graduation requirements (i) upon theBoard's initiative or (ii) at the request of a local school board. Suchwaivers shall be granted only for good cause and shall be considered on acase-by-case basis.
E. In the exercise of its authority to recognize exemplary academicperformance by providing for diploma seals, the Board of Education shalldevelop criteria for recognizing exemplary performance in career andtechnical education programs by students who have completed the requirementsfor a standard or advanced studies diploma and shall award seals on thediplomas of students meeting such criteria.
In addition, the Board shall establish criteria for awarding a diploma sealfor advanced mathematics and technology for the standard and advanced studiesdiplomas. The Board shall consider including criteria for (i) technologycourses; (ii) technical writing, reading, and oral communication skills;(iii) technology-related training; and (iv) industry, professional, and tradeassociation national certifications.
The Board shall also establish criteria for awarding a diploma seal forexcellence in civics education and understanding of our state and federalconstitutions and the democratic model of government for the standard andadvanced studies diplomas. The Board shall consider including criteria for(i) successful completion of history, government, and civics courses,including courses that incorporate character education; (ii) voluntaryparticipation in community service or extracurricular activities thatincludes the types of activities that shall qualify as community service andthe number of hours required; and (iii) related requirements as it deemsappropriate.
F. The Board shall establish, by regulation, requirements for the award of ageneral achievement diploma for those persons who have (i) achieved a passingscore on the GED examination; (ii) successfully completed an education andtraining program designated by the Board of Education; and (iii) satisfiedother requirements as may be established by the Board for the award of suchdiploma.
G. To ensure the uniform assessment of high school graduation rates, theBoard shall collect, analyze, and report high school graduation and dropoutdata using a formula prescribed by the Board.
The Board may promulgate such regulations as may be necessary and appropriatefor the collection, analysis, and reporting of such data.
(1988, cc. 645, 682; 1990, cc. 820, 839; 1993, c. 661; 1994, cc. 618, 790;1997, cc. 828, 835; 1998, cc. 72, 602, 627; 2001, cc. 483, 500; 2003, c. 688;2004, cc. 509, 939, 955; 2005, c. 345; 2006, c. 584; 2007, cc. 34, 56, 234,351, 859, 919; 2008, c. 351; 2009, c. 490; 2010, cc. 80, 89, 162, 163, 313.)
§ 22.1-253.13:4. Standard 4. Student achievement and graduation requirements.
A. Each local school board shall award diplomas to all secondary schoolstudents, including students who transfer from nonpublic schools or from homeinstruction, who earn the units of credit prescribed by the Board ofEducation, pass the prescribed tests, and meet such other requirements as maybe prescribed by the local school board and approved by the Board ofEducation. Provisions shall be made to facilitate the transfer andappropriate grade placement of students from other public secondary schools,from nonpublic schools, or from home instruction as outlined in the standardsfor accreditation. Course credits earned for online courses taken in theDepartment of Education's Virtual Virginia program shall transfer to Virginiapublic schools in accordance with provisions of the standards foraccreditation. Further, reasonable accommodation to meet the requirements fordiplomas shall be provided for otherwise qualified students with disabilitiesas needed.
In addition, each local school board may devise, vis-a-vis the award ofdiplomas to secondary school students, a mechanism for calculating classrankings that takes into consideration whether the student has taken arequired class more than one time and has had any prior earned grade for suchrequired class expunged.
Each local school board shall notify the parents of rising eleventh andtwelfth grade students of (i) the number and subject area requirements ofstandard and verified units of credit required for graduation pursuant to thestandards for accreditation and (ii) the remaining number and subject arearequirements of such units of credit the individual student requires forgraduation.
B. Students identified as disabled who complete the requirements of theirindividualized education programs shall be awarded special diplomas by localschool boards.
Each local school board shall notify the parent of such students withdisabilities who have an individualized education program and who fail tomeet the requirements for a standard or advanced studies diploma of thestudent's right to a free and appropriate education to age 21, inclusive,pursuant to Article 2 (§ 22.1-213 et seq.) of Chapter 13 of this title.
C. Students who have completed a prescribed course of study as defined by thelocal school board shall be awarded certificates of program completion bylocal school boards if they are not eligible to receive a standard, advancedstudies, modified standard, special, or general achievement diploma.
Each local school board shall provide notification of the right to a freepublic education for students who have not reached 20 years of age on orbefore August 1 of the school year, pursuant to Chapter 1 (§ 22.1-1 et seq.)of this title, to the parent of students who fail to graduate or who havefailed to achieve the number of verified units of credit required forgraduation as provided in the standards for accreditation. If such studentwho does not graduate or achieve such verified units of credit is a studentfor whom English is a second language, the local school board shall notifythe parent of the student's opportunity for a free public education inaccordance with § 22.1-5.
D. In establishing course and credit requirements for a high school diploma,the Board shall:
1. Provide for the selection of integrated learning courses meeting theStandards of Learning and approved by the Board to satisfy graduation creditrequirements, which shall include Standards of Learning testing, as necessary.
2. Establish the requirements for a standard, modified standard, or advancedstudies high school diploma, which shall include one credit in fine orperforming arts or career and technical education and one credit in UnitedStates and Virginia history. The requirements for a standard high schooldiploma shall, however, include at least two sequential electives chosen froma concentration of courses selected from a variety of options that may beplanned to ensure the completion of a focused sequence of elective courses.Students may take such focused sequence of elective courses in consecutiveyears or any two years of high school. Such focused sequence of electivecourses shall provide a foundation for further education or training orpreparation for employment, shall be identified in the Academic and CareerPlan as described in Board of Education regulations, and shall be developedby the school division, consistent with Board of Education guidelines and asapproved by the local school board.
3. Establish the requirements for a technical diploma. This diploma shallmeet or exceed the requirements of a standard diploma and will include aconcentration in career and technical education, as established in Boardregulations. A student who meets the requirement for the advanced studiesdiploma who also fulfills a concentration in career and technical educationshall receive an advanced technical diploma, or if he chooses, he shallreceive an advanced studies diploma. The Board may develop or designateassessments in career and technical education for the purposes of awardingverified credit pursuant to subdivision 6.
4. Provide, in the requirements for the verified units of credit stipulatedfor obtaining the standard or advanced studies diploma, that studentscompleting elective classes into which the Standards of Learning for anyrequired course have been integrated may take the relevant Standards ofLearning test for the relevant required course and receive, upon achieving asatisfactory score on the specific Standards of Learning assessment, averified unit of credit for such elective class that shall be deemed tosatisfy the Board's requirement for verified credit for the required course.
5. Establish a procedure to facilitate the acceleration of students thatallows qualified students, with the recommendation of the divisionsuperintendent, without completing the 140-hour class, to obtain credit forsuch class upon demonstration of mastery of the course content andobjectives. Having received credit for the course, the student shall bepermitted to sit for the relevant Standards of Learning assessment and, uponreceiving a passing score, shall earn a verified credit. Nothing in thissection shall preclude relevant school division personnel from enforcingcompulsory attendance in public schools.
6. Provide for the award of verified units of credit for passing scores onindustry certifications, state licensure examinations, and nationaloccupational competency assessments approved by the Board of Education.
School boards shall report annually to the Board of Education the number ofBoard-approved industry certifications obtained, state licensure examinationspassed, national occupational competency assessments passed, Virginiaworkplace readiness skills assessments passed, and the number of career andtechnical education completers who graduated. These numbers shall be reportedas separate categories on the School Performance Report Card.
For the purposes of this subdivision, a "career and technical educationcompleter" is a student who has met the requirements for a career andtechnical concentration or specialization and all requirements for highschool graduation or an approved alternative education program.
In addition, the Board may:
a. For the purpose of awarding verified units of credit, approve the use ofadditional or substitute tests for the correlated Standards of Learningassessment, such as academic achievement tests, industry certifications orstate licensure examinations; and
b. Permit students completing career and technical education programsdesigned to enable such students to pass such industry certificationexaminations or state licensure examinations to be awarded, upon obtainingsatisfactory scores on such industry certification or licensure examinations,the appropriate verified units of credit for one or more career and technicaleducation classes into which relevant Standards of Learning for variousclasses taught at the same level have been integrated. Such industrycertification and state licensure examinations may cover relevant Standardsof Learning for various required classes and may, at the discretion of theBoard, address some Standards of Learning for several required classes.
7. Provide for the waiver of certain graduation requirements (i) upon theBoard's initiative or (ii) at the request of a local school board. Suchwaivers shall be granted only for good cause and shall be considered on acase-by-case basis.
E. In the exercise of its authority to recognize exemplary academicperformance by providing for diploma seals, the Board of Education shalldevelop criteria for recognizing exemplary performance in career andtechnical education programs by students who have completed the requirementsfor a standard or advanced studies diploma and shall award seals on thediplomas of students meeting such criteria.
In addition, the Board shall establish criteria for awarding a diploma sealfor advanced mathematics and technology for the standard and advanced studiesdiplomas. The Board shall consider including criteria for (i) technologycourses; (ii) technical writing, reading, and oral communication skills;(iii) technology-related training; and (iv) industry, professional, and tradeassociation national certifications.
The Board shall also establish criteria for awarding a diploma seal forexcellence in civics education and understanding of our state and federalconstitutions and the democratic model of government for the standard andadvanced studies diplomas. The Board shall consider including criteria for(i) successful completion of history, government, and civics courses,including courses that incorporate character education; (ii) voluntaryparticipation in community service or extracurricular activities thatincludes the types of activities that shall qualify as community service andthe number of hours required; and (iii) related requirements as it deemsappropriate.
F. The Board shall establish, by regulation, requirements for the award of ageneral achievement diploma for those persons who have (i) achieved a passingscore on the GED examination; (ii) successfully completed an education andtraining program designated by the Board of Education; and (iii) satisfiedother requirements as may be established by the Board for the award of suchdiploma.
G. To ensure the uniform assessment of high school graduation rates, theBoard shall collect, analyze, and report high school graduation and dropoutdata using a formula prescribed by the Board.
The Board may promulgate such regulations as may be necessary and appropriatefor the collection, analysis, and reporting of such data.
(1988, cc. 645, 682; 1990, cc. 820, 839; 1993, c. 661; 1994, cc. 618, 790;1997, cc. 828, 835; 1998, cc. 72, 602, 627; 2001, cc. 483, 500; 2003, c. 688;2004, cc. 509, 939, 955; 2005, c. 345; 2006, c. 584; 2007, cc. 34, 56, 234,351, 859, 919; 2008, c. 351; 2009, c. 490; 2010, cc. 80, 89, 162, 163, 313.)
§ 22.1-253.13:4. Standard 4. Student achievement and graduation requirements.
A. Each local school board shall award diplomas to all secondary schoolstudents, including students who transfer from nonpublic schools or from homeinstruction, who earn the units of credit prescribed by the Board ofEducation, pass the prescribed tests, and meet such other requirements as maybe prescribed by the local school board and approved by the Board ofEducation. Provisions shall be made to facilitate the transfer andappropriate grade placement of students from other public secondary schools,from nonpublic schools, or from home instruction as outlined in the standardsfor accreditation. Course credits earned for online courses taken in theDepartment of Education's Virtual Virginia program shall transfer to Virginiapublic schools in accordance with provisions of the standards foraccreditation. Further, reasonable accommodation to meet the requirements fordiplomas shall be provided for otherwise qualified students with disabilitiesas needed.
In addition, each local school board may devise, vis-a-vis the award ofdiplomas to secondary school students, a mechanism for calculating classrankings that takes into consideration whether the student has taken arequired class more than one time and has had any prior earned grade for suchrequired class expunged.
Each local school board shall notify the parents of rising eleventh andtwelfth grade students of (i) the number and subject area requirements ofstandard and verified units of credit required for graduation pursuant to thestandards for accreditation and (ii) the remaining number and subject arearequirements of such units of credit the individual student requires forgraduation.
B. Students identified as disabled who complete the requirements of theirindividualized education programs shall be awarded special diplomas by localschool boards.
Each local school board shall notify the parent of such students withdisabilities who have an individualized education program and who fail tomeet the requirements for a standard or advanced studies diploma of thestudent's right to a free and appropriate education to age 21, inclusive,pursuant to Article 2 (§ 22.1-213 et seq.) of Chapter 13 of this title.
C. Students who have completed a prescribed course of study as defined by thelocal school board shall be awarded certificates of program completion bylocal school boards if they are not eligible to receive a standard, advancedstudies, modified standard, special, or general achievement diploma.
Each local school board shall provide notification of the right to a freepublic education for students who have not reached 20 years of age on orbefore August 1 of the school year, pursuant to Chapter 1 (§ 22.1-1 et seq.)of this title, to the parent of students who fail to graduate or who havefailed to achieve the number of verified units of credit required forgraduation as provided in the standards for accreditation. If such studentwho does not graduate or achieve such verified units of credit is a studentfor whom English is a second language, the local school board shall notifythe parent of the student's opportunity for a free public education inaccordance with § 22.1-5.
D. In establishing course and credit requirements for a high school diploma,the Board shall:
1. Provide for the selection of integrated learning courses meeting theStandards of Learning and approved by the Board to satisfy graduation creditrequirements, which shall include Standards of Learning testing, as necessary.
2. Establish the requirements for a standard, modified standard, or advancedstudies high school diploma, which shall include one credit in fine orperforming arts or career and technical education and one credit in UnitedStates and Virginia history. The requirements for a standard high schooldiploma shall, however, include at least two sequential electives chosen froma concentration of courses selected from a variety of options that may beplanned to ensure the completion of a focused sequence of elective courses.Students may take such focused sequence of elective courses in consecutiveyears or any two years of high school. Such focused sequence of electivecourses shall provide a foundation for further education or training orpreparation for employment, shall be identified in the Academic and CareerPlan as described in Board of Education regulations, and shall be developedby the school division, consistent with Board of Education guidelines and asapproved by the local school board.
3. Establish the requirements for a technical diploma. This diploma shallmeet or exceed the requirements of a standard diploma and will include aconcentration in career and technical education, as established in Boardregulations. A student who meets the requirement for the advanced studiesdiploma who also fulfills a concentration in career and technical educationshall receive an advanced technical diploma, or if he chooses, he shallreceive an advanced studies diploma. The Board may develop or designateassessments in career and technical education for the purposes of awardingverified credit pursuant to subdivision 6.
4. Provide, in the requirements for the verified units of credit stipulatedfor obtaining the standard or advanced studies diploma, that studentscompleting elective classes into which the Standards of Learning for anyrequired course have been integrated may take the relevant Standards ofLearning test for the relevant required course and receive, upon achieving asatisfactory score on the specific Standards of Learning assessment, averified unit of credit for such elective class that shall be deemed tosatisfy the Board's requirement for verified credit for the required course.
5. Establish a procedure to facilitate the acceleration of students thatallows qualified students, with the recommendation of the divisionsuperintendent, without completing the 140-hour class, to obtain credit forsuch class upon demonstration of mastery of the course content andobjectives. Having received credit for the course, the student shall bepermitted to sit for the relevant Standards of Learning assessment and, uponreceiving a passing score, shall earn a verified credit. Nothing in thissection shall preclude relevant school division personnel from enforcingcompulsory attendance in public schools.
6. Provide for the award of verified units of credit for passing scores onindustry certifications, state licensure examinations, and nationaloccupational competency assessments approved by the Board of Education.
School boards shall report annually to the Board of Education the number ofBoard-approved industry certifications obtained, state licensure examinationspassed, national occupational competency assessments passed, Virginiaworkplace readiness skills assessments passed, and the number of career andtechnical education completers who graduated. These numbers shall be reportedas separate categories on the School Performance Report Card.
For the purposes of this subdivision, a "career and technical educationcompleter" is a student who has met the requirements for a career andtechnical concentration or specialization and all requirements for highschool graduation or an approved alternative education program.
In addition, the Board may:
a. For the purpose of awarding verified units of credit, approve the use ofadditional or substitute tests for the correlated Standards of Learningassessment, such as academic achievement tests, industry certifications orstate licensure examinations; and
b. Permit students completing career and technical education programsdesigned to enable such students to pass such industry certificationexaminations or state licensure examinations to be awarded, upon obtainingsatisfactory scores on such industry certification or licensure examinations,the appropriate verified units of credit for one or more career and technicaleducation classes into which relevant Standards of Learning for variousclasses taught at the same level have been integrated. Such industrycertification and state licensure examinations may cover relevant Standardsof Learning for various required classes and may, at the discretion of theBoard, address some Standards of Learning for several required classes.
7. Provide for the waiver of certain graduation requirements (i) upon theBoard's initiative or (ii) at the request of a local school board. Suchwaivers shall be granted only for good cause and shall be considered on acase-by-case basis.
E. In the exercise of its authority to recognize exemplary academicperformance by providing for diploma seals, the Board of Education shalldevelop criteria for recognizing exemplary performance in career andtechnical education programs by students who have completed the requirementsfor a standard or advanced studies diploma and shall award seals on thediplomas of students meeting such criteria.
In addition, the Board shall establish criteria for awarding a diploma sealfor advanced mathematics and technology for the standard and advanced studiesdiplomas. The Board shall consider including criteria for (i) technologycourses; (ii) technical writing, reading, and oral communication skills;(iii) technology-related training; and (iv) industry, professional, and tradeassociation national certifications.
The Board shall also establish criteria for awarding a diploma seal forexcellence in civics education and understanding of our state and federalconstitutions and the democratic model of government for the standard andadvanced studies diplomas. The Board shall consider including criteria for(i) successful completion of history, government, and civics courses,including courses that incorporate character education; (ii) voluntaryparticipation in community service or extracurricular activities thatincludes the types of activities that shall qualify as community service andthe number of hours required; and (iii) related requirements as it deemsappropriate.
F. The Board shall establish, by regulation, requirements for the award of ageneral achievement diploma for those persons who have (i) achieved a passingscore on the GED examination; (ii) successfully completed an education andtraining program designated by the Board of Education; and (iii) satisfiedother requirements as may be established by the Board for the award of suchdiploma.
G. To ensure the uniform assessment of high school graduation rates, theBoard shall collect, analyze, and report high school graduation and dropoutdata using a formula prescribed by the Board.
The Board may promulgate such regulations as may be necessary and appropriatefor the collection, analysis, and reporting of such data.
(1988, cc. 645, 682; 1990, cc. 820, 839; 1993, c. 661; 1994, cc. 618, 790;1997, cc. 828, 835; 1998, cc. 72, 602, 627; 2001, cc. 483, 500; 2003, c. 688;2004, cc. 509, 939, 955; 2005, c. 345; 2006, c. 584; 2007, cc. 34, 56, 234,351, 859, 919; 2008, c. 351; 2009, c. 490; 2010, cc. 80, 89, 162, 163, 313.)
