Overview

Students meeting specific requirements for graduation and demonstrating exemplary performance may receive diploma seals for recognition. Section 8VAC20-131-51 of the Standards of Accreditation establishes the requirements for diploma seals.

Governor's Seal

Awarded to students who complete

• The requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma with an average grade of B or better.
• College-level coursework that will earn the student at least nine transferable college credits. Credits may be in:
  • Advanced Placement (AP)
  • International Baccalaureate (IB)
  • Cambridge
  • dual enrollment courses

Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) Seal

Awarded to students who complete the requirements for a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma with an average grade of A.

Career and Technical Education Seal

The Board of Education's Career & Technical Education Seal is awarded to students who:

• Earn a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma and complete a prescribed sequence of courses in a career and technical education concentration or specialization that they choose and maintain a "B" or better average in those courses
• Or pass an examination or an occupational competency assessment in a career and technical education concentration or specialization that confers certification or occupational competency credential from a recognized industry, trade, or professional association
• Or acquire a professional license in that career and technical education field from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Board approves all professional licenses and examinations used to meet these requirements. Visit The Path to Industry Certification for the current approved licenses and examinations.

Seal for Excellence in Civics Education

Awarded to students who earn a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma and:

• Completes Virginia and United States History and Virginia and United States Government courses with a grade of B or higher
• Has good attendance
• Has no disciplinary infractions as determined by local school board policies
• Complete 50 hours of voluntary participation in community service or extracurricular activities. Activities that would satisfy the requirements of clause (iii) of this subdivision include:
  • Volunteering for a charitable or religious organization that provides services to the poor, sick, or less fortunate
  • Participating in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or similar youth organizations
  • Participating in JROTC
  • Participating in political campaigns, or government internships, or Boys State, Girls State, or Model General Assembly
  • Participating in school-sponsored extracurricular activities that have a civics focus.

Any student who enlists in the United States military before graduation will meet this community service requirement.

Seal of Biliteracy

Awarded to students who:

• Complete the requirements for a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma.
• Pass all required End-of-Course Assessments in English reading and writing at the proficient or higher level.
• Demonstrate proficiency at the intermediate-mid level or higher in one or more languages other than English as demonstrated through an assessment from a list approved by the VDOE Superintendent of Public Instruction.
  • This list of options for demonstrating proficiency at the intermediate-mid level or higher may be found at the Virginia Department of Education, Seal of Biliteracy. 
  • This list includes the FCPS World Language Credit Exams and FCPS Level 4 PALS exams.

Virginia Seal of Biliteracy

Seal for Excellence in Science and the Environment

This seal is available to students who entered 9th grade in 2018-19 and beyond.

• Earn either a Standard or Advanced Studies Diploma
• Complete at least three different first-level board-approved laboratory science courses and at least one rigorous advanced-level or postsecondary-level laboratory science course, each with a grade of “B” or higher
• Complete laboratory or field-science research and present that research in a formal, juried setting
• Complete at least 50 hours of voluntary participation in community service or extracurricular activities that involve the application of science such as environmental monitoring, protection, management, or restoration.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Seal

Awarded to students who earn either a Standard Diploma or an Advanced Studies Diploma and satisfy all Math and Science requirements for the Advanced Studies diploma with a “B” average or better in all course work, and

• Successfully complete a 50 hour or more work-based learning opportunity in a STEM area, and
• Satisfy all requirements for a Career and Technical Education concentration, and
• Pass one of the following:
  • a Board of Education CTE STEM-H credential examination, or
  • an examination approved by the Board that confers a college-level credit in a STEM field.