Virginia Board of Education July 22-23, 2020 Meetings
Special Committee to Review the Standards of Accreditation

The Special Committee met to discuss the Committee’s Work Plan as well as to discuss the Committee’s philosophy, goals, objectives, and student achievement expectations.  The Committee reaffirmed its objectives to be: 1) to conduct a review of newly implemented accreditation system to assess anticipated positive, negative, and unintended outcomes of performance indicators; 2) to consider data available since implementation as well as current state affairs; and 3) to validate efficient progress towards original intended outcomes and provide system change recommendations, if warranted. 

Of note, the Committee appears likely to pay special consideration to SOA indicators that were discussed but not adopted as part of the Board’s 2017 revisions, including student discipline and school climate measures.

The Special Committee’s full Work Plan is available at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/committees_standing/soa/2020/07-jul/accreditation-review-committee-draft-work-plan.docx

Regular Business Meeting

Amendments to the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia (8VAC20-131) to Comport with 2020 General Assembly Legislation (Fast-Track)

The Board waived first review and approved the revisions to the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia (Fast-track) to comport with legislation passed by the 2020 General Assembly.    During the 2020 Session, the General Assembly passed legislation requiring amendments to the Board of Education’s Regulations Establishing the Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia (8VAC20-131) (i.e. Standards of Accreditation or SOA). This fast-track regulatory action addresses the following legislation, which took effect on July 1, 2020:

• HB 516 (Bulova) and SB 112 (Suetterlein) require the Board of Education, in establishing high school graduation requirements, to include the options for students to complete a dual enrollment course or high-quality work-based learning experience; currently, students must complete an Advanced Placement Course or International Baccalaureate course or earn a career and technical education credential.
• SB 323 (Barker) requires the Board of Education, in establishing high school graduation requirements, to permit a student who is pursuing an advanced diploma and whose individualized education program specifies a credit accommodation for world language to substitute two standard units of credit in computer science for two standard units of credit in a world language. The bill provides that for any student electing to substitute a credit in computer science for credit in world language, his school counselor shall provide notice to the student and parent or guardian of possible impacts related to college entrance requirements.

The proposed amendments to the Standards of Accreditation incorporate these legislative changes and will follow the fast-track rulemaking requirements of the Administrative Process Act (APA). 

First Review of Resolution Prescribing the Standards of Quality for Public Schools in Virginia

The Board received for first review a Resolution Prescribing the Standards of Quality for 2020. The Constitution of Virginia (Article VIII, § 2) sets out the Board of Education’s responsibility to determine and prescribe the standards of quality for the public schools of Virginia, subject to revision only by the General Assembly. These standards, found in the Code of Virginia at §§ 22.1-253.13:1 through 22.1-253.13:10, are known as the Standards of Quality (SOQ) and provide the foundational program for public education in Virginia as well as serve as a primary driver of state educational funding. Section 22.1-18.01 of the Code further requires the Board of Education to biennially review the SOQ and proposes amendments as necessary.  Following a two-year process of research, feedback, and discussion, the Board of Education concluded a significant review of the SOQ in the fall of 2019. The Board prescribed eight new items, reinforced three of its recommendations from the 2016 SOQ review process, and provided two suggestions for legislative action in support of the SOQ. 

During the 2020 General Assembly Session, several pieces of legislation built upon the Board’s SOQ prescription package. SB 728 (McClellan) and HB 1316 (Aird) introduced the Board’s SOQ revisions in their entirety, but neither passed the General Assembly.   Two sets of bills including single items from the Board’s prescribed SOQ, were considered and approved by the General Assembly.  SB 910 (Hashmi) and HB 975 (Guzman) amended the ratios of instructional positions for English Language Learners and was funded in the Appropriation Act while SB 880 (Locke) and HB 1508 (McQuinn) made progress in amending the school counselor ratios. Both of the school counselor bills passed but the ratios were revised for a more incremental reduction in the ratios.

The current item allows the Board to review the 2019 SOQ to ensure these standards still reflect the condition and needs of the Virginia’s public schools and is intended as a reminder to the General Assembly of its responsibility to review, revise, as needed, and fund the SOQ in the upcoming legislative session.

Details on the Resolution and on the specifics of the prescribed changes to the Standards of Quality are available at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/2020/07-jul/item-d.docx

Amendment to the Regulations Governing the Employment of Professional Personnel (8VAC20-441) to Comport with Legislation Passed by the 2020 General Assembly (Exempt Action)

The Board waived first review and approved the proposed amendment to the Regulations Governing the Employment of Professional Personnel (8VAC20-441), which remove (i) the option for local school boards to extend the three-year probationary term of service for teachers by up to two additional years and (ii) the prohibition against school boards reemploying any teacher whose performance evaluation during the probationary term of service is unsatisfactory.  This action brings the Regulations in line with changes passed during the 2020 General Assembly Session in HB 365 (Carroll Foy) and SB 98 (Locke).

First Review of Guidance and Model Policy for the Notification of Protective Orders in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Board received for first review the Guidance and Model Policy for the Notification of Protective Orders in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools.  This guidance stems from legislation adopted during the 2019 Session of the General Assembly (HB 1997 (Price)) which amended the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered § 22.1-279.3:2 relating to the notification of protective orders in elementary and secondary schools.  The legislation required the Board to establish guidelines and develop model policies to aid local school boards in the implementation of § 22.1-279.3:2 of the Code of Virginia.

The Guidance and Model Policy offers recommendations, a model local policy, and resources to assist school divisions in responding to the notification of a protective order for a student. Recommendations include processes for the notification of essential school personnel of the protective order and a support plan for the protected student as well as sample forms to facilitate these processes. Other considerations relating to confidentiality, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), school personnel training, and collaboration with other agencies are also included.

Full details of both the Guidance and Model Policy are available at: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/2020/07-jul/item-f-attachment.docx

First Review of Proposed State Approved Textbooks for K-12 Science (Word)

The Board received for first review a list of proposed recommended textbooks for K-12 science.  The list of textbooks recommended for approval for 2019-2020 as well as details on the approval process are available at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/2020/07-jul/item-g.docx

Report

The Board received an update on Early Childhood Education in Virginia, which is available here: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/meetings/2020/07-jul/item-h-attachment.pptx