2006 Code of Virginia § 22.1-253.13:4 - Standard 4. Student achievement and graduation requirements

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 for students who transfer betweensecondary schools and from nonpublic schools or from home instruction asoutlined in the standards for accreditation. Further, reasonableaccommodation to meet the requirements for diplomas shall be provided forotherwise qualified students with disabilities as needed.

In addition, each local school board may devise, vis-/Aa-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 parent of rising eleventh andtwelfth grade students of (i) the number of standard and verified units ofcredit required for graduation pursuant to the standards of accreditation and(ii) the remaining number of such units of credit the individual studentrequires for graduation.

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 graduation of the student's right to a free andappropriate education to age 21, inclusive, pursuant to Article 2 ( 22.1-213et 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, 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 of accreditation. If such student whodoes not graduate or achieve such verified units of credit is a student forwhom English is a second language, the local school board shall notify theparent of the student's opportunity for a free public education in accordancewith 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,performing, or practical arts and one credit in United States and Virginiahistory. The requirements for a standard high school diploma shall, however,include at least two sequential electives chosen from a concentration ofcourses selected from a variety of options that may be planned to ensure thecompletion of a focused sequence of elective courses. Students may take suchfocused sequence of elective courses in consecutive years or any two years ofhigh school. Such focused sequence of elective courses shall provide afoundation for further education or training or preparation for employmentand shall be developed by the school division, consistent with Board ofEducation guidelines and as approved by the local school board;

3. 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;

4. 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; and

5. 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 ofindustry certifications obtained and state licensure examinations passed, andthe number shall be reported as a category on the School Performance ReportCard.

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.

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 practical arts training; and (iv) industry,professional, and trade association 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; and (iii)related requirements as it deems appropriate.

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. (Effective October 1, 2008) To ensure the uniform assessment of highschool graduation rates, the Board shall collect, analyze, and report highschool graduation and dropout data 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.)