Titles of Regulations: 8VAC20-30. Regulations Governing Adult High School Programs (amending 8VAC20-30-20).

8VAC20-680. Regulations Governing the General Achievement Diploma (repealing 8VAC20-680-10, 8VAC20-680-20).

Statutory Authority: §§ 22.1-224 and 22.1-253.13:4 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Dates: July 17, 2013, through July 16, 2014.

Agency Contact: Anne Wescott, Assistant Superintendent for Policy and Communication, Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 225-2403, or email anne.wescott@doe.virginia.gov.

Preamble:

Chapters 454 and 642 of the 2012 Acts of Assembly amended § 22.1-253.13:4 of the Code of Virginia to strengthen postsecondary education and workplace readiness opportunities for all students and to consolidate the number of Board of Education-approved diplomas. The legislation includes a second enactment clause that requires the board to promulgate emergency regulations to implement the provisions of this legislation. The emergency regulations provide for a foundation for a quality education for adult students receiving a general achievement adult high school diploma so they may be successful and productive citizens and are prepared for postsecondary education and for the workplace.

The legislation eliminates the general achievement diploma by folding it into the adult high school diploma, which is renamed the general achievement adult high school diploma. The legislation adds a requirement that adult students would need to earn a Board of Education-approved career and technical education credential, such as the successful completion of an industry certification, a state licensure examination, a national occupational competency assessment, or the Virginia workplace readiness skills assessment in order to be awarded the diploma. The legislation further provides that the general achievement adult high school diploma would include the following requirements:

1. Achievement of a passing score on the GED examination;

2. Successful completion of an education and training program designated by the Board of Education;

3. Achievement of a Board of Education-approved career and technical education credential such as the successful completion of an industry certification, a state licensure examination, a national occupational competency assessment, or the Virginia workplace readiness skills assessment; and

4. Completion of other requirements as may be established by the board.

The emergency regulations are designed to (i) enhance preparedness for the workplace and for postsecondary education and (ii) strengthen educational and career opportunities for adult students. They also support expanded learning opportunities for adult students by enhancing workplace skills through the attainment of a career and technical education credential for adult students earning the general achievement adult high school diploma.

8VAC20-30-20. Minimum requirements for adult high school programs.

Adult high school programs are not part of the 9 through 12 high school program and shall meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Age. An adult student shall be at least 18 years of age. Under circumstances which local school authorities consider justifiable, students of school age may enroll in courses offered by the adult high school. Only in exceptional circumstances should school officials permit a school-aged individual enrolled in grades 9 through 12 to earn credits toward high school graduation in adult classes. All educational alternatives must have been considered prior to placing an enrolled student in an adult class. Such students would be able to earn a diploma, as provided in 8VAC20-131-50, but would not be eligible to earn an adult high school diploma. Only those students not subject to the compulsory attendance requirements of § 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia shall be enrolled in an adult high school program.

2. Credit.

a. Satisfactory completion of 108 hours of classroom instruction in a subject shall constitute sufficient evidence for one unit of credit toward a high school diploma.

b. When, in the judgment of the principal or the superintendent, an adult not regularly enrolled in the grades 9 through 12 high school program is able to demonstrate by examination or other objective evidence, satisfactory completion of the work, he may receive credit in accordance with policies adopted by the local school board. It is the responsibility of the school issuing the credit to document the types of examinations employed or other objective evidence used, the testing or assessment procedures, and the extent of progress in each case.

c. Credits earned in adult high school programs shall be transferable as prescribed in the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia within the sponsoring school division and shall be transferable to public secondary schools outside of the sponsoring school division.

3. Diplomas.

a. A diploma, as provided in 8VAC20-131-50, shall be awarded to an adult student who completes all requirements of the diploma regulated by the Board of Education, with the exception of health and physical education requirements, in effect at the time he will graduate.

b. An adult high school diploma shall be awarded to an adult student who completes the course credit requirements in effect for any Board of Education diploma, with the exception of health and physical education course requirements, at the time he first entered the ninth grade. The requirement for specific assessments may be waived if the assessments are no longer administered to students in Virginia public schools.

c. An adult high school diploma shall be awarded to an adult student who demonstrates through applied performance assessment full mastery of the National External Diploma Program Generalized Competencies Correlated with CASAS Competencies, 1996, version 5.0, January 2013, a CASAS program, as promulgated by the American Council on Education and validated and endorsed by the United States Department of Education.

d. A General Achievement Diploma, as provided in 8VAC20-680, shall be awarded to an adult student who completes all requirements of the diploma. A general achievement adult high school diploma shall be awarded to a student who is not subject to the compulsory attendance requirements of § 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia and who:

(1) Successfully completes the general educational development (GED) program that meets the requirements of the Board of Education's Regulations Governing General Education Development Certificates (8VAC20-360) and earns a GED certificate;

(2) Earns a Board of Education-approved career and technical education credential, such as the successful completion of an industry certification, a state licensure examination, a national occupational competency assessment, or the Virginia Workplace Readiness Skills Assessment; and

(3) Successfully completes the following courses that incorporate or exceed the applicable Standards of Learning:

	Discipline Area	Standard Units of Credit Required
	English	4
	Mathematics	3
	Science	2
	History and Social Sciences	2
	Electives	9
	TOTAL	20

Courses completed to satisfy the requirements in mathematics and science shall include content in courses that incorporate or exceed the content of courses approved by the Board of Education to satisfy any other board-recognized diploma.

Courses completed to satisfy the history/social science requirements shall include one unit of credit in Virginia and U.S. history and one unit of credit in Virginia and U.S. government in courses that incorporate or exceed the content of courses approved by the Board of Education to satisfy any other board-recognized diploma.

Courses completed to satisfy the electives requirement shall include at least two sequential electives in an area of concentration or specialization, which may include career and technical education and training.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (8VAC20-30)

National External Diploma Program Generalized Competencies Correlated with CASAS Competencies, Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System EDP/CASAS, 1996 National External Diploma Program Competencies, version 5.0, January 2013, a CASAS program, as promulgated by the American Council on Education and validated and endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education.