Bill Text: VA SB627 | 2024 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: College and Career Ready Virginia Program and Fund; established and created.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-04-08 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0684) [SB627 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-SB627-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§22.1-1, 22.1-206.3, and 22.1-253.13:1, as they shall become effective, 23.1-100, and 23.1-907 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 13 of Title 22.1 an article numbered 5.1, consisting of sections numbered 22.1-237.1 through 22.1-237.5, as follows:
§22.1-1. (For effective date, see Acts 2022, cc. 549, 550, cl. 2) Definitions.
As used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Board" or "State Board" means the Board of Education.
"Department" means the Department of Education.
"Division superintendent" means the division superintendent of schools of a school division.
"Dual enrollment" means the enrollment of a qualified high school student in a postsecondary course that is creditable toward high school completion and a career certificate or an associate or baccalaureate degree at a public institution of higher education. "Dual enrollment" does not include the enrollment of a qualified high school student in a postsecondary course that is not creditable toward high school completion.
"Elementary" includes kindergarten.
"Elementary and secondary" and "elementary or secondary" include elementary, middle, and high school grades.
"Evidence-based literacy instruction" means structured instructional practices, including sequential, systematic, explicit, and cumulative teaching, that (i) are based on reliable, trustworthy, and valid evidence consistent with science-based reading research; (ii) are used in core or general instruction, supplemental instruction, intervention services, and intensive intervention services; (iii) have a demonstrated record of success in adequately increasing students' reading competency, vocabulary, oral language, and comprehension and in building mastery of the foundational reading skills of phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, phonics, spelling, and text reading fluency; and (iv) are able to be differentiated in order to meet the individual needs of students.
"Governing body" or "local governing body" means the board of supervisors of a county, council of a city, or council of a town, responsible for appropriating funds for such locality, as the context may require.
"Middle school" means separate schools for early adolescents and the middle school grades that might be housed at elementary or high schools.
"Parent" or "parents" means any parent, guardian, legal custodian, or other person having control or charge of a child.
"Person of school age" means a person who will have reached his fifth birthday on or before September 30 of the school year and who has not reached twenty years of age on or before August 1 of the school year.
"School board" means the school board that governs a school division.
"Science-based reading research" means research that (i) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective observational or experimental procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading and writing difficulties and (ii) explains how proficient reading and writing develop, why some children have difficulties developing key literacy skills, and how schools can best assess and instruct early literacy, including the use of evidence-based literacy instruction practices to promote reading and writing achievement.
"Superintendent" means the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
§22.1-206.3. (Effective July 1, 2024) Dual enrollment programs; course credit; guidelines.
The Board shall, consistent with the provisions of Article 5.1 (§22.1-237.1 et seq.), develop guidelines and policies for prioritizing to the maximum extent practicable dual enrollment programs, including the Passport Program, the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program, the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program, and other such programs that allow high school students to receive credit toward the completion of an undergraduate course, degree, or credential offered in the Virginia Community College System. Such guidelines and policies shall include recommendations and strategies on how to ensure the prioritization of such programs to the maximum extent practicable, including ways to direct prioritization of funding to such programs.
§22.1-237.1. Definitions.
As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education," "baccalaureate public institution of higher education," "comprehensive community college," "Council," "public institution of higher education," and "System" have the same meanings as provided in §23.1-100.
"Career and technical education" has the same meaning as provided in §23.1-2900.
"Fund" means the College and Career Ready Virginia Fund.
"Program" means the College and Career Ready Virginia Program.
"Qualified high school student" means a student who is eligible to participate in the Program in accordance with subdivision 3 of §22.1-237.4.
§22.1-237.2. College and Career Ready Virginia Program and Fund; establishment.
A. The Board and the State Board for Community Colleges shall establish the College and Career Ready Virginia Program.
B. The purpose of the Program is to offer consistent, structured opportunities for all qualified high school students in the Commonwealth to enroll in postsecondary coursework offered by a comprehensive community college that is creditable toward high school completion and a certificate or degree from a public institution of higher education. Academic credits earned through the Program shall enable students to complete a postsecondary credential in less time and at lower cost.
C. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the College and Career Ready Virginia Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of administering the Program. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Chancellor of the System and the Superintendent.
D. Comprehensive community colleges, the Online Virginia Network Authority, and local school boards shall not charge qualified high school students tuition or fees for enrolling and participating in Program courses.
§22.1-237.3. College and Career Ready Virginia Program; requirements.
A. The Program shall consist of the dual enrollment and participation of qualified high school students at the high school in college courses pursuant to the Passport Program and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program established in accordance with the requirements set forth in subsection B of §23.1-907.
B. Each school board shall, pursuant to the Program, offer each qualified high school student in the local school division access to courses at each high school that are sufficient to complete the Passport Program and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program at a public institution of higher education at no cost to such student.
C. The System and the Online Virginia Network Authority shall, pursuant to the Program, offer each local school board access to courses at each high school, including virtual courses, that are sufficient for each local school board's qualified high school students to complete the Passport Program and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program at a public institution of higher education, at no cost to such local school board.
D. Any credit earned through successful completion of Passport Program and Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program courses through the Program shall transfer to each public institution of higher education pursuant to §§23.1-905.1 and 23.1-907.
E. The Program shall include appropriate counseling by high school and comprehensive community college staff to ensure that all high school students and parents of high school students receive thorough information about the availability of and process for enrolling in Program courses and the opportunity to earn Passport Program and Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program credits that will transfer to public institutions of higher education.
F. The Program shall be data-driven and continually updated to (i) reduce socioeconomic, academic, and other barriers impeding students' access to Program courses; (ii) improve student academic and career outcomes; and (iii) align with the changing workforce needs of the Commonwealth.
G. The Auditor of Public Accounts shall annually audit the receipt and expenditure of any funds associated with the Program by any local school board, any comprehensive community college, the Department, or the System to ensure that such funds are expended exclusively in furtherance of the purposes of this article.
§22.1-237.4. College and Career Ready Virginia Program; administration.
The Department and the System shall administer the Program. In administering the Program, the Department and the System shall:
1. Establish an advisory committee composed of representatives from local school divisions from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, baccalaureate public institutions of higher education, Richard Bland College, the Office of the Secretary of Education, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, the Virginia Office of Education Economics, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as well as parents of public school students from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, a parent of a student who receives home instruction, and a representative from the Department with expertise in state and federal requirements for meeting the needs of students with disabilities. Such advisory committee shall provide guidance to the Department and the System to ensure that the Program fulfills the purpose of the Program described in subsection B of §22.1-237.2 and meets the requirements set forth in § 22.1-237.3.
2. Coordinate with the Council in its performance of its responsibilities under §§23.1-905.1, 23.1-907, and 23.1-908.
3. Review existing regulations, including 8VAC20-131-140, and policies, including policy 6.6.3 in the VCCS Policy Manual, on dual enrollment student eligibility and admission requirements and develop consistent student eligibility and admission requirements for the Program that balance improving student access to and ensuring student preparedness for Program courses.
4. Develop and implement initiatives to improve participation in the Program by qualified high school students from groups of students that are underrepresented in baccalaureate public institutions of higher education.
5. Develop guidelines for school boards and comprehensive community colleges to provide notice of and counseling relating to the Program to high school students and their parents.
6. Develop guidelines for local school boards and comprehensive community colleges to provide students enrolled in the Program with appropriate support, including academic support services and activities, access and user privileges to adequate library collections and services, accommodations for students with disabilities, transportation, and any other learning information or resources.
7. Establish and implement initiatives to increase the number of high school teachers across the Commonwealth that meet the applicable dual enrollment faculty credential requirements.
8. In local school divisions in which in-person instruction by qualified high school faculty is not available, ensure that comprehensive community colleges and the Online Virginia Network Authority provide access to Program courses transmitted virtually.
9. Consider the unique needs of local school divisions related to their location, size, and proximity to a comprehensive community college when developing recommendations and implementing the Program.
10. Consider how to incorporate all associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education in the Program, consistent with the establishment of the Program pursuant to § 22.1-237.2.
11. Make distributions from the Fund as set forth in subsection C of §22.1-237.2.
12. Develop and implement a plan for the annual collection and public reporting of state-level and division-level Program data, including high school and postsecondary student outcomes.
13. Develop and implement a plan for the annual collection from local school divisions and comprehensive community colleges of data on their receipts and expenditures related to the Program.
14. Establish a Program webpage that provides information necessary for students and parents to understand and access the Program.
15. Complete an annual, comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the Program, including its cost, student outcomes, and the quality and rigor of Program courses, and prepare a plan for continuous Program improvement.
16. Annually report to the General Assembly the results of the review and the plan for continuous Program improvement in subdivision 15.
§22.1-237.5. College and Career Ready Virginia Program; incorporation of career and technical education coursework; work group.
A. In recognition of the fact that career and technical education is an essential element of workforce readiness in the Commonwealth, the Department and the System shall establish the Program career and technical education work group (the work group) for the purpose of developing and recommending a career and technical education program of coursework that is available to all qualified high school students as part of the Program.
B. The work group shall be composed of representatives from local school divisions from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, Richard Bland College, the Office of the Secretary of Education, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, the Virginia Office of Education Economics, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as well as parents of public school students from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, a parent of a student who receives home instruction, and a representative from the Department with expertise in state and federal requirements for meeting the needs of students with disabilities.
C. The work group shall:
1. Review existing statutory requirements related to career and technical education, including §23.1-2906.1, and assess their relevance to qualified dual enrollment students;
2. Gather data sufficient to understand (i) what career and technical education courses and pathways are currently offered through dual enrollment to students; (ii) how the current dual enrollment course offerings differ across local school divisions; (iii) whether existing state funding programs that support career and technical education, including the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Program established pursuant to § 23.1-2911.2, the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program established pursuant to Article 4.1 (§23.1-627.1 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 23.1, and the FastForward Program established by the System, are available to dual enrollment students; (iv) the current availability of instructors who are qualified to teach dual enrollment career and technical education courses across local school divisions; (v) the current costs of dual enrollment in career and technical education courses for students across local school divisions; (vi) the current cost to comprehensive community colleges to provide career and technical education through dual enrollment; and (vii) the extent to which current dual enrollment career and technical education coursework meets industry needs across the Commonwealth; and
3. Develop recommendations for the Department and the System to incorporate career and technical education coursework into the Program. Such recommendations shall address (i) what career and technical education coursework shall be available through dual enrollment to qualified high school students through the Program; (ii) how to ensure that all qualified dual enrolled students can access career and technical courses available through the Program; (iii) how to ensure that such courses meet the industry needs of the Commonwealth; (iv) how to ensure that such courses are affordable for qualified high school students across the Commonwealth; (v) how to ensure that qualified instructors are available to teach career and technical education coursework through the Program; (vi) how to make career and technical education coursework offered through the Program available to qualified high school students through the Online Virginia Network; (vii) what measurable objectives and quantifiable goals the Department and the System should use to understand the cost, assess outcomes, and develop plans for continuous improvement of dual enrollment career and technical education coursework through the Program; and (viii) what legislative action is necessary to incorporate career and technical education coursework into the Program.
§22.1-253.13:1. (For effective date, see Acts 2022, cc. 549, 550, cl. 2) Standard 1. Instructional programs supporting the Standards of Learning and other educational objectives.
A. The General Assembly and the Board believe that the fundamental goal of the public schools of the Commonwealth must be to enable each student to develop the skills that are necessary for success in school, preparation for life, and reaching their full potential. The General Assembly and the Board find that the quality of education is dependent upon the provision of (i) the appropriate working environment, benefits, and salaries necessary to ensure the availability of high-quality instructional personnel; (ii) the appropriate learning environment designed to promote student achievement; (iii) quality instruction that enables each student to become a productive and educated citizen of Virginia and the United States of America; and (iv) the adequate commitment of other resources. In keeping with this goal, the General Assembly shall provide for the support of public education as set forth in Article VIII, §1 of the Constitution of Virginia.
B. The Board shall establish educational objectives known as the Standards of Learning, which shall form the core of Virginia's educational program, and other educational objectives, which together are designed to ensure the development of the skills that are necessary for success in school and for preparation for life in the years beyond. At a minimum, the Board shall establish Standards of Learning for English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. The Standards of Learning shall not be construed to be regulations as defined in §2.2-4001.
The Board shall seek to ensure that the Standards of Learning are consistent with a high-quality foundation educational program. The Standards of Learning shall include, but not be limited to, the basic skills of communication (listening, speaking, reading, and writing); computation and critical reasoning, including problem solving and decision making; proficiency in the use of computers and related technology; computer science and computational thinking, including computer coding; and the skills to manage personal finances and to make sound financial decisions.
The English Standards of Learning for reading in kindergarten through grade eight shall align with evidence-based literacy instruction and science-based reading research.
The Standards of Learning in all subject areas shall be subject to regular review and revision to maintain rigor and to reflect a balance between content knowledge and the application of knowledge in preparation for eventual employment and lifelong learning. The Board shall establish a regular schedule, in a manner it deems appropriate, for the review, and revision as may be necessary, of the Standards of Learning in all subject areas. Such review of each subject area shall occur at least once every seven years. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Board from conducting such review and revision on a more frequent basis.
To provide appropriate opportunity for input from the general public, teachers, and local school boards, the Board shall conduct public hearings prior to establishing revised Standards of Learning. Thirty days prior to conducting such hearings, the Board shall give notice of the date, time, and place of the hearings to all local school boards and any other persons requesting to be notified of the hearings and publish notice of its intention to revise the Standards of Learning in the Virginia Register of Regulations. Interested parties shall be given reasonable opportunity to be heard and present information prior to final adoption of any revisions of the Standards of Learning.
In addition, the Department shall make available and maintain a website, either separately or through an existing website utilized by the Department, enabling public elementary, middle, and high school educators to submit recommendations for improvements relating to the Standards of Learning, when under review by the Board according to its established schedule, and related assessments required by the Standards of Quality pursuant to this chapter. Such website shall facilitate the submission of recommendations by educators.
School boards shall implement the Standards of Learning or objectives specifically designed for their school divisions that are equivalent to or exceed the Board's requirements. Students shall be expected to achieve the educational objectives established by the school division at appropriate age or grade levels. The curriculum adopted by the local school division shall be aligned to the Standards of Learning.
The Board shall include in the Standards of Learning for history and social science the study of contributions to society of diverse people. For the purposes of this subsection, "diverse" includes consideration of disability, ethnicity, race, and gender.
The Board shall include in the Standards of Learning for health instruction in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the use of an automated external defibrillator, including hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Such instruction shall be based on the current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator, such as a program developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. No teacher who is in compliance with subdivision D 3 of §22.1-298.1 shall be required to be certified as a trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to provide instruction for non-certification.
With such funds as are made available for this purpose, the Board shall regularly review and revise the competencies for career and technical education programs to require the full integration of English, mathematics, science, and history and social science Standards of Learning. Career and technical education programs shall be aligned with industry and professional standard certifications, where they exist.
The Board shall establish content standards and curriculum guidelines for courses in career investigation in elementary school, middle school, and high school. Each school board shall (i) require each middle school student to take at least one course in career investigation or (ii) select an alternate means of delivering the career investigation course to each middle school student, provided that such alternative is equivalent in content and rigor and provides the foundation for such students to develop their academic and career plans. Any school board may require (a) such courses in career investigation at the high school level as it deems appropriate, subject to Board approval as required in subsection A of §22.1-253.13:4, and (b) such courses in career investigation at the elementary school level as it deems appropriate. The Board shall develop and disseminate to each school board career investigation resource materials that are designed to ensure that students have the ability to further explore interest in career and technical education opportunities in middle and high school. In developing such resource materials, the Board shall consult with representatives of career and technical education, industry, skilled trade associations, chambers of commerce or similar organizations, and contractor organizations.
C. Local school boards shall develop and implement a program of instruction for grades K through 12 that is aligned to the Standards of Learning and meets or exceeds the requirements of the Board. The program of instruction shall emphasize reading, writing, speaking, mathematical concepts and computations, proficiency in the use of computers and related technology, computer science and computational thinking, including computer coding, and scientific concepts and processes; essential skills and concepts of citizenship, including knowledge of Virginia history and world and United States history, economics, government, foreign languages, international cultures, health and physical education, environmental issues, and geography necessary for responsible participation in American society and in the international community; fine arts, which may include, but need not be limited to, music and art, and practical arts; knowledge and skills needed to qualify for further education, gainful employment, or training in a career or technical field; and development of the ability to apply such skills and knowledge in preparation for eventual employment and lifelong learning and to achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Local school boards shall also develop and implement programs of prevention, intervention, or remediation for students who are educationally at risk including, but not limited to, those who fail to achieve a passing score on any Standards of Learning assessment in grades three through eight or who fail an end-of-course test required for the award of a verified unit of credit. Such programs shall include components that are research-based.
Any student who achieves a passing score on one or more, but not all, of the Standards of Learning assessments for the relevant grade level in grades three through eight may be required to attend a remediation program.
Any student who fails to achieve a passing score on all of the Standards of Learning assessments for the relevant grade level in grades three through eight or who fails an end-of-course test required for the award of a verified unit of credit shall be required to attend a remediation program or to participate in another form of remediation. Division superintendents shall require such students to take special programs of prevention, intervention, or remediation, which may include attendance in public summer school programs, in accordance with clause (ii) of subsection A of §22.1-254 and §22.1-254.01.
Remediation programs shall include, when applicable, a procedure for early identification of students who are at risk of failing the Standards of Learning assessments in grades three through eight or who fail an end-of-course test required for the award of a verified unit of credit. Such programs may also include summer school for all elementary and middle school grades and for all high school academic courses, as defined by regulations promulgated by the Board, or other forms of remediation. Summer school remediation programs or other forms of remediation shall be chosen by the division superintendent to be appropriate to the academic needs of the student. Students who are required to attend such summer school programs or to participate in another form of remediation shall not be charged tuition by the school division.
The requirement for remediation may, however, be satisfied by the student's attendance in a program of prevention, intervention or remediation that has been selected by his parent, in consultation with the division superintendent or his designee, and is either (i) conducted by an accredited private school or (ii) a special program that has been determined to be comparable to the required public school remediation program by the division superintendent. The costs of such private school remediation program or other special remediation program shall be borne by the student's parent.
The Board shall establish standards for full funding of summer remedial programs that shall include, but not be limited to, the minimum number of instructional hours or the equivalent thereof required for full funding and an assessment system designed to evaluate program effectiveness. Based on the number of students attending and the Commonwealth's share of the per pupil instructional costs, state funds shall be provided for the full cost of summer and other remediation programs as set forth in the appropriation act, provided such programs comply with such standards as shall be established by the Board, pursuant to §22.1-199.2.
D. Local school boards shall also implement the following:
1. Programs in grades K through three that emphasize developmentally appropriate learning to enhance success.
2. Programs based on prevention, intervention, or remediation designed to increase the number of students who earn a high school diploma and to prevent students from dropping out of school. Such programs shall include components that are research-based.
3. Career and technical education programs incorporated into the K through 12 curricula that include:
a. Knowledge of careers and all types of employment opportunities, including, but not limited to, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship and small business ownership, the military, and the teaching profession, and emphasize the advantages of completing school with marketable skills;
b. Career exploration opportunities in the middle school grades;
c. Competency-based career and technical education programs that integrate academic outcomes, career guidance, and job-seeking skills for all secondary students. Programs shall be based upon labor market needs and student interest. Career guidance shall include counseling about available employment opportunities and placement services for students exiting school. Each school board shall develop and implement a plan to ensure compliance with the provisions of this subdivision. Such plan shall be developed with the input of area business and industry representatives and local comprehensive community colleges and shall be submitted to the Superintendent in accordance with the timelines established by federal law;
d. Annual notice on its website to enrolled high school students and their parents of (i) the availability of the postsecondary education and employment data published by the State Council of Higher Education on its website pursuant to §23.1-204.1 and (ii) the opportunity for such students to obtain a nationally recognized career readiness certificate at a local public high school, comprehensive community college, or workforce center; and
e. As part of each student's academic and career plan, a list of (i) the top 100 professions in the Commonwealth by median pay and the education, training, and skills required for each such profession and (ii) the top 10 degree programs at institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth by median pay of program graduates. The Department shall annually compile such lists and provide them to each local school board.
4. Educational objectives in middle and high school that emphasize economic education and financial literacy pursuant to §22.1-200.03.
5. Early identification of students with disabilities and enrollment of such students in appropriate instructional programs consistent with state and federal law.
6. Early identification of gifted students and enrollment of such students in appropriately differentiated instructional programs.
7. Educational alternatives for students whose needs are not met in programs prescribed elsewhere in these standards. Such students shall be counted in average daily membership (ADM) in accordance with the regulations of the Board.
8. Adult education programs for individuals functioning below the high school completion level. Such programs may be conducted by the school board as the primary agency or through a collaborative arrangement between the school board and other agencies.
9. A plan to make achievements for students who are educationally at risk a divisionwide priority that shall include procedures for measuring the progress of such students.
10. An agreement for postsecondary credit and degree
attainment with a any comprehensive community college in the
Commonwealth specifying the options for students to complete an associate
degree or, a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies,
or the Passport Program from a comprehensive community college concurrent
with a high school diploma, consistent with the requirements for the College
and Career Ready Virginia Program set forth in Article 5.1 (§22.1-237.1 et
seq.) of Chapter 13. Such agreement shall specify the credit available for
dual enrollment courses and Advanced Placement courses with qualifying exam
scores of three or higher.
11. A plan to notify students and their parents of the
availability of dual enrollment and advanced placement classes; career and
technical education programs, including internships, externships,
apprenticeships, credentialing programs, certification programs, licensure
programs, and other work-based learning experiences; the International
Baccalaureate Program and Academic Year Governor's School Programs; the
qualifications for enrolling in such classes, programs, and experiences; and
the availability of financial assistance to low-income and needy students to
take the advanced placement and International Baccalaureate examinations. This
plan shall include notification to students and parents of the College and
Career Ready Virginia Program established pursuant to Article 5.1. (§
22.1-237.1 et seq.) of Chapter 13 and its agreement with a comprehensive
community college in the Commonwealth pursuant to subdivision 10 to
enable students to complete an associate degree or, a one-year
Uniform Certificate of General Studies, or the Passport Program
concurrent with a high school diploma.
12. Identification of students with limited English proficiency and enrollment of such students in appropriate instructional programs, which programs may include dual language programs whereby such students receive instruction in English and in a second language.
13. Early identification, diagnosis, and assistance for students with mathematics problems and provision of instructional strategies and mathematics practices that benefit the development of mathematics skills for all students.
Local school divisions shall provide algebra readiness intervention services to students in grades six through nine who are at risk of failing the Algebra I end-of-course test, as demonstrated by their individual performance on any diagnostic test that has been approved by the Department. Local school divisions shall report the results of the diagnostic tests to the Department on an annual basis, at a time to be determined by the Superintendent. Each student who receives algebra readiness intervention services will be assessed again at the end of that school year. Funds appropriated for prevention, intervention, and remediation; summer school remediation; at-risk; or algebra readiness intervention services may be used to meet the requirements of this subdivision.
14. Incorporation of art, music, and physical education as a part of the instructional program at the elementary school level.
15. A program of physical activity available to all students in grades kindergarten through five consisting of at least 20 minutes per day or an average of 100 minutes per week during the regular school year and available to all students in grades six through 12 with a goal of at least 150 minutes per week on average during the regular school year. Such program may include any combination of (i) physical education classes, (ii) extracurricular athletics, (iii) recess, or (iv) other programs and physical activities deemed appropriate by the local school board. Each local school board shall implement such program during the regular school year. Any physical education class offered to students in grades seven and eight shall include at least one hour of personal safety training per school year in each such grade level that is developed and delivered in partnership with the local law-enforcement agency and consists of situational safety awareness training and social media education.
16. A program of student services for kindergarten through grade 12 that shall be designed to aid students in their educational, social, and career development.
17. The collection and analysis of data and the use of the results to evaluate and make decisions about the instructional program.
18. A program of instruction in the high school Virginia and U.S. Government course on all information and concepts contained in the civics portion of the U.S. Naturalization Test.
E. From such funds as may be appropriated or otherwise received for such purpose, there shall be established within the Department a unit to (i) conduct evaluative studies; (ii) provide the resources and technical assistance to increase the capacity for school divisions to deliver quality instruction; and (iii) assist school divisions in implementing those programs and practices that will enhance pupil academic performance and improve family and community involvement in the public schools. Such unit shall identify and analyze effective instructional programs and practices and professional development initiatives; evaluate the success of programs encouraging parental and family involvement; assess changes in student outcomes prompted by family involvement; and collect and disseminate among school divisions information regarding effective instructional programs and practices, initiatives promoting family and community involvement, and potential funding and support sources. Such unit may also provide resources supporting professional development for administrators and teachers. In providing such information, resources, and other services to school divisions, the unit shall give priority to those divisions demonstrating a less than 70 percent passing rate on the Standards of Learning assessments.
F. Each local school board may enter into agreements for postsecondary course credit, credential, certification, or license attainment, hereinafter referred to as College and Career Access Pathways Partnerships (Partnerships), with comprehensive community colleges or other public institutions of higher education or educational institutions established pursuant to Title 23.1 that offer a career and technical education curriculum. Such Partnerships shall (i) specify the options for students to take courses as part of the career and technical education curriculum that lead to course credit or an industry-recognized credential, certification, or license concurrent with a high school diploma; (ii) specify the credit, credentials, certifications, or licenses available for such courses; and (iii) specify available options for students to participate in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs at comprehensive community colleges concurrent with the pursuit of a high school diploma and receive college credit and high school credit for successful completion of any such program.
G. Each local school board shall provide a program of literacy instruction that is aligned with science-based reading research and provides evidenced-based literacy instruction to students in kindergarten through grade eight and is consistent with the school board's literacy plan as required by subsection B of §22.1-253.13:6. Pursuant to such program:
1. Each local school board shall provide reading intervention services to students in kindergarten through grade eight who demonstrate substantial deficiencies based on their individual performance on the Standards of Learning reading assessment or a literacy screener provided or approved by the Department. Such reading intervention services shall consist of evidence-based literacy instruction, align with science-based reading research, and be documented for each student in a written student reading plan, consistent with the requirements in subdivision 2 and the list developed by the Department pursuant to subdivision H 2.
2. A reading specialist, in collaboration with the teacher of any student who receives reading intervention services pursuant to subdivision 1, shall develop, oversee implementation of, and monitor student progress on a student reading plan. The parent of each student who receives reading intervention services pursuant to subdivision 1 shall receive notice of and have the opportunity to participate in the development of the student reading plan. Each student reading plan (i) shall follow the Department template created pursuant to subdivision H 3; (ii) shall document such reading intervention services; (iii) shall include, at a minimum, (a) the student's specific, diagnosed reading skill deficiencies as determined or identified by diagnostic assessment data or the literacy screener provided or approved by the Department; (b) the goals and benchmarks for student growth in reading; (c) a description of the specific measures that will be used to evaluate and monitor the student's reading progress; (d) the specific evidence-based literacy instruction that the student will receive; (e) the strategies, resources, and materials that will be provided to the student's parent to support the student to make reading progress; and (f) any additional services the teacher deems available and appropriate to accelerate the student's reading skill development; and (iv) may include the following services for the student: instruction from a reading specialist, trained aide, computer-based reading tutorial program, or classroom teacher with support from an aide, extended instructional time in the school day or school year, or, for students in grades six through eight, a literacy course, in addition to the course required by the Standards of Learning in English, that provides the specific evidence-based literacy instruction identified in the student's reading plan. In accordance with §22.1-215.2, the parent of each student shall receive notice before services begin and a copy of the student reading plan.
3. Each student who receives such reading intervention services shall be assessed utilizing either the literacy screener provided or approved by the Department or the grade-level reading Standards of Learning assessment again at the end of that school year.
Funds appropriated for prevention, intervention, and remediation, summer school remediation, the at-risk add-on, or early intervention reading may be used to meet the requirements of this subsection.
H. In order to assist local school boards to implement the provisions of subsection G:
1. The Board shall provide guidance on the content of student reading plans;
2. The Department shall develop a list of core literacy curricula, supplemental instruction practices and programs, and intervention programs that consist of evidence-based literacy instruction aligned with science-based reading research for students in kindergarten through grade eight. The list shall be approved by the Board;
3. The Department shall develop a template for student reading plans that aligns with the requirements of subsection G;
4. The Department shall develop and implement a plan for the annual collection and public reporting of division-level and school-level literacy data, at a time to be determined by the Superintendent, to include results on the literacy screeners provided or approved by the Department and the reading Standards of Learning assessments; and
5. The Department shall provide free online evidence-based literacy instruction resources that can be accessed by parents and local school boards to support student literacy development at home.
§23.1-100. Definitions.
As used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Associate-degree-granting" means that an associate degree is the most advanced degree that is granted.
"Associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education" includes Richard Bland College and each comprehensive community college.
"Baccalaureate" means that bachelor's degrees or more advanced degrees, or both, are granted.
"Baccalaureate public institution of higher education" includes Christopher Newport University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Longwood University, the University of Mary Washington, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, the University of Virginia, the University of Virginia's College at Wise as a division of the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and The College of William and Mary in Virginia.
"Chief executive officer" includes the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, the Chancellor of the University of Virginia's College at Wise, the Superintendent of Virginia Military Institute, and the president of each other public institution of higher education.
"Comprehensive community college" means an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education governed by the State Board that offers instruction in one or more of the following fields:
1. Freshman and sophomore courses in arts and sciences acceptable for transfer to baccalaureate degree programs;
2. Diversified technical curricula, including programs leading to an associate degree;
3. Career and technical education leading directly to employment;
4. Courses in general and continuing education for adults in the fields set out in subdivisions 1, 2, and 3; or
5. Noncredit training and retraining courses and programs of varying lengths to meet the needs of business and industry in the Commonwealth.
"Council" means the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
"Dual enrollment" means the enrollment of a qualified high school student in a postsecondary course that is creditable toward high school completion and a career certificate or an associate or baccalaureate degree at a public institution of higher education. "Dual enrollment" does not include the enrollment of a qualified high school student in a postsecondary course that is not creditable toward high school completion.
"Governing board" includes the State Board and the board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education. "Governing board" does not include local community college boards.
"Local community college board" means the board established to act in an advisory capacity to the State Board and perform such duties with respect to the operation of a single comprehensive community college as may be delegated to it by the State Board.
"Nonprofit private institution of higher education" means any postsecondary school, as that term is defined in §23.1-213, in the Commonwealth that is exempt from paying federal income taxes under §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is certified by the Council to offer degrees or exempt from such certification pursuant to Article 3 (§23.1-213 et seq.) of Chapter 2.
"Non-Virginia student" means any student who has not established domicile in the Commonwealth pursuant to §23.1-502.
"Private institution of higher education" includes each nonprofit private institution of higher education and proprietary private institution of higher education in the Commonwealth.
"Proprietary private institution of higher education" means any postsecondary school, as that term is defined in § 23.1-213, in the Commonwealth that is privately owned, privately managed, and obligated to pay federal income taxes in the Commonwealth and is certified by the Council to offer degrees or exempt from such certification pursuant to Article 3 (§23.1-213 et seq.) of Chapter 2.
"Public institution of higher education" includes the System as a whole and each associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth.
"State Board" means the State Board for Community Colleges.
"System" means the Virginia Community College System.
"Virginia student" means any student who has established domicile in the Commonwealth pursuant to §23.1-502.
§23.1-907. Articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements; admission of certain comprehensive community college graduates.
A. The board of visitors of each baccalaureate public institution of higher education shall develop, consistent with Council guidelines and the institution's six-year plan as set forth in §23.1-306, articulation, dual admissions, and guaranteed admissions agreements with each associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education. Such guaranteed admissions agreements may provide for the guaranteed admission of a student who earns an associate degree concurrently with a high school diploma through a dual enrollment program, in addition to any guaranteed admission for a student who earns an associate degree post-high school.
B. The System, in cooperation with the Council and each public institution of higher education, and consistent with the guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision 20 of §23.1-203, shall establish a one-semester Passport Program and a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. The Passport Program shall consist of 15 course credit hours and shall be a component of the 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program. Each Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program course shall be transferable and shall satisfy a lower division general education requirement at any public institution of higher education. The Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program and Passport Program shall be available at each comprehensive community college and through the Online Virginia Network.
C. The Council shall establish procedures under which a baccalaureate public institution of higher education may seek a waiver from the Council from accepting the transfer of a Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program course to satisfy the requirements for the completion of a specific pathway or degree. A waiver shall not be granted allowing a baccalaureate public institution to (i) generally reject the transfer of all coursework that is a part of the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program or (ii) generally reject the transfer of a course from the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program or Passport Program for all pathway maps and degrees. An application for a waiver shall identify with particularity the course for which the institution is seeking a waiver and the particular pathway or degree to which the waiver would apply. The application shall provide justification for the waiver and shall designate alternative courses offered through the System that may be completed by a student in order to complete a transferable, 30-credit-hour Uniform Certificate of General Studies or 15-credit-hour Passport. The Council shall adopt guidelines regarding the criteria to be used to review and issue decisions regarding waiver requests. Such waiver requests shall only be granted if the baccalaureate public institution of higher education provides evidence that the specified pathway or degree requires a specialized, lower division course not available through the System. Once approved, notice of a waiver granted by the Council shall be included in the online portal established pursuant to § 23.1-908.
D. The Council shall develop guidelines for associate-degree-granting and baccalaureate public institutions of higher education to use in mapping pathways for the completion of credits in particular programs of study, including the courses recommended to be taken in a dual enrollment, comprehensive community college, and baccalaureate public institution setting in order to pursue a specific degree or career. Such guidelines shall define the elements of a pathway map and identify the pathway maps to be developed. Initial guidelines adopted for mapping such pathways shall establish a multiyear schedule for the development and implementation of pathway maps for all fields of study.
E. Each baccalaureate public institution of higher education, in cooperation and consultation with the System, shall develop pathway maps consistent with the guidelines established pursuant to subsection D. Such pathways maps shall clearly set forth the courses that a student at a comprehensive community college is encouraged to complete prior to transferring to the baccalaureate institution. The goal of the career education pathway maps shall be to assist students in achieving optimal efficiencies in the time and cost of completing a degree program. Such program map shall also clearly identify the courses, if any, for which the baccalaureate institution has received a waiver from transfer pursuant to subsection C.
F. The Council shall prepare a comprehensive annual report on the effectiveness of transferring from comprehensive community colleges to baccalaureate public institutions of higher education, including a review of the effectiveness of the use of pathway maps in achieving efficiencies and cost savings in the completion of a degree program. The report shall include the following elements: completion rates, average time to degree, credit accumulation, post-transfer student academic performance, and comparative efficiency. The Council shall adopt guidelines for data submission from public institutions of higher education necessary for such report, and all institutions shall report such data in accordance with the guidelines. The report shall be made publicly available on the Council website and on the online portal maintained pursuant to §23.1-908.
G. Each comprehensive community college shall develop agreements for postsecondary credit and degree attainment with the public high schools in the school divisions that such comprehensive community college serves specifying the options for students to complete an associate degree, the Passport Program, or the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program concurrent with a high school diploma consistent with the requirements for the College and Career Ready Virginia Program set forth in Article 5.1 (§22.1-237.1 et seq.) of Chapter 13 of Title 22.1. Such agreements shall specify the credit available for dual enrollment courses and Advanced Placement courses with qualifying exam scores of three or higher.
H. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any public institution of higher education established pursuant to Chapter 25 (§ 23.1-2500 et seq.).
2. That the provisions of subsections B, C, and D of § 22.1-237.3 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, shall become effective beginning with course registrations for the fall term of the 2025 academic year.
3. That the College and Career Ready Virginia Program career and technical education work group established by the Department of Education (the Department) and the Virginia Community College System (the System) pursuant to §22.1-237.5 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, shall submit its recommendations to the Department and the System as required pursuant to subdivision C 3 of §22.1-237.5 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, no later than November 1, 2024.
4. That each comprehensive community college and school board shall make such amendments to its agreements for postsecondary credit and degree attainment as required by subdivision D 10 of §22.1-253.13:1 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, and subsection G of §23.1-907 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, as it deems necessary to comply with the provisions of this act.
5. That the Secretary of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System shall make such amendments to their Governing Principles for Dual Enrollment between Virginia Public Schools and the Virginia Community College System as they deem necessary to comply with the provisions of this act.
