Student Handbook: Checklist of Important Items

1. Student Handbook: Checklist of Important Items • Roger Jones • Director of VASSP/VFEL Center for Educational Leadership • Dean, School of Education, Leadership Studies, and Counseling, Lynchburg College • jones@lynchburg.edu • (434) 660-5300 (cell)

2. Communication Plan • The handout provided includes information that needs to be shared. The “Handbook” is one source. If the information is not included in the handbook, it should be provided through some other method such as newsletters, program of studies, memorandums, etc. The Handbook is only one component of an effective communication plan.

3. A-F Bill • Repeals the A-F school grading system • Requires the Board of Education (Board), in consultation with the Standards of Learning (SOL) Innovation Committee, to redesign the School Performance Report Card no later than July 1, 2016, to make it more effective in communicating to parents and the public the status and achievements of the public schools and local school divisions.   • Requires the Board to:  • provide notice and solicit public comment on the redesign by October 1, 2015; • submit a summary of its redesign to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by December 1, 2015; • provide a redesigned report card for all schools and divisions by October 1, 2016, and each October 1 thereafter.

4. SOA • Requires the Board to amend the Standards of Accreditation (SOA) by the 2016-2017 school year to establish additional accreditation ratings that recognize the progress of schools that do not meet accreditation benchmarks but have significantly improved their pass rates, are within specified ranges of benchmarks, or have demonstrated significant growth for the majority of their students.  

5. Transition to Progress (Values) Tables in lieu of Student Growth Percentiles • The progress table model, which replaces student growth percentiles, accounts for student success in closing the achievement gap, is more understandable, and is available for more students. • In the progress table model, student growth is determined by comparing the student’s test score in the current year to his/her prior test score. • VDOE plans to transition to the use of progress tables as a growth measure in the 2015-2106 school year.

6. Determining growth • Growth is measured by the number of performance sub-levels a student advances toward demonstrating proficiency of the state standards. • For example, a student whose grade 3 Reading SOL score was in the “Below Basic – High” performance sub-level and whose grade 4 Reading SOL score was in the “Basic – High” performance sub-level improved by two sub-levels.

7. Initial four levels Virginia Reading SOL Cut Scores Grade Below Basic BasicProficient Advanced 3 0-309 310-399 400-499 500-600 4 0-302 303-399 400-499 500-600 5 0-294 295-399 400-499 500-600 6 0-316 317-399 400-499 500-600 7 0-314 315-399 400-499 500-600 8 0-316 317-399 400-499 500-600

8. Sub-levels Grade Below Basic Basic Proficient Advanced Low High Low High Low High Low High 3 0-280 281-309 310-361 362-399 400-438 439-499 500-511 512-600 4 0-277 278-302 303-359 360-399 400-438 439-499 500-512 513-600 5 0-270 271-294 295-360 361-399 400-438 439-499 500-512 513-600 6 0-291 292-316 317-364 365-399 400-440 441-499 500-511 512-600 7 0-291 292-314 315-365 366-399 400-440 441-499 500-511 512-600 8 0-293 294-316 317-366 367-399 400-439 439-499 500-507 508-600

9. Progress table growth labels • Growth is classified into four categories for students who have not demonstrated proficiency of the state standards. The Growth Labels are as follows: • •Blue: increased three performance sub-levels • •Yellow: increased two performance sub-levels • •Green: increased one performance sub-level • •Gray: maintained the same sub-performance level or did not show growth

10. Potential application to accreditation • In the current calculation of the accreditation pass rate, a passing student counts as “one passer” in the numerator of the pass rate. In order to account for students working toward demonstrating proficiency, partial credit could be awarded for sub-level growth. • For example, partial points for growth could be awarded for student progress as shown below: • –a student who fails but progresses three sub-levels would count as 0.75, • –a student who progresses two sub-levels would count as 0.5, and • –a student who progresses one sub-level would count as 0.25.

11. CTE • Permits each local school board to enter into agreements for postsecondary credential, certification, or license attainment with community colleges or other public institutions of higher education or educational institutions that are established pursuant to Title 23 of the Code of Virginia (Educational Institutions) that offer a career and technical education curriculum.   • These agreements must specify:   • (i) the options for students to take courses as part of the career and technical education curriculum that lead to an industry-recognized credential, certification, or license concurrent with a high school diploma; • (ii) the credentials, certifications, or licenses available for such courses.

12. CTE Credential • Creates an alternative to the current requirement that, in order to receive a standard diploma, a student must earn a CTE credential.  • This alternative would apply when a CTE credential in a particular subject area is not readily available or appropriate or does not adequately measure student competency, in which case the student must receive competency-based instruction in the subject area to satisfy the standard diploma requirements.

13. Bi-literacy diploma seal • Directs the Board to establish criteria for awarding a diploma seal of biliteracy to any student who demonstrates proficiency in English and at least one other language for the Board.   • The bill requires the Board to consider criteria, including the student's:   • (i) score on a College Board Advanced Placement foreign language examination; • (ii) score on an SAT II Subject Test in a foreign language; • (iii) proficiency level on an ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) measure or another nationally or internationally recognized language proficiency test; or • (iv) cumulative grade point average in a sequence of foreign language courses approved by the Board.  • The bill requires the Board to establish criteria for awarding a diploma seal of biliteracy in time for any student graduating from a public high school in the Commonwealth in 2016 to be awarded such a diploma seal.

14. Applied studies diploma • Specifies that students identified as disabled who complete the requirements of their individualized education programs (IEPs) and meet certain requirements prescribed by the Board pursuant to regulations, but do not meet the requirements for any named diploma, shall be awarded Applied Studies diplomas by local school boards.   • The term special diploma is eliminated pursuant to this bill, and the term Applied Studies diploma replaces it in the Code. • Currently, the Code provides that students identified as disabled who complete the requirements of their IEPs shall be awarded special diplomas by local school boards.

15. Alternative to seat time • Permits local school divisions to waive the requirement for students to receive 140 clock hours of instruction to earn a standard unit of credit upon providing the Board with satisfactory proof, based on Board guidelines, that the students for whom such requirements are waived have learned the content and skills included in the relevant SOL.

16. Expedited retakes • Directs the Board to promulgate regulations to provide the same criteria for eligibility for an expedited retake of any SOL test, with the exception of the writing SOL tests, to each student regardless of grade level or course.   • State Board Resolution 2015-11 implemented process for 2014-15

17. Seclusion and restraint • Requires the Board to adopt regulations on the use of seclusion and restraint in public elementary and secondary schools in the Commonwealth.   • The bill requires that such regulations are consistent with certain existing guidance documents; include definitions of terms, criteria for use, restrictions for use, training requirements, notification requirements, reporting requirements, and follow-up requirements; and address distinctions between certain student populations.  

18. fundraisers • Requires the Board to promulgate regulations that permit each public school to conduct on school grounds during regular school hours no more than 30 school-sponsored fundraisers per school year during which food that does not meet the nutritional guidelines for competitive foods may be sold to students.  • (ALMOST ONCE A WEEK) • "Competitive food" is defined in current law as any food, excluding beverages, sold to students on school grounds during regular school hours, which is not part of the school breakfast or school lunch program.

19. KNOWINGLY POSSESSING WEAPONS • Amends statute that makes it a crime to possess a firearm, stun weapon, knife, and certain other weapons on school property to require that the person must have knowingly possessed the firearm or other weapon. • Legislation does not appear to require local school boards to change their policy of how they deal with such possession in their discipline policies.

20. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER • Prohibits the VDOE and each local school board from requiring any student enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school or receiving home instruction or his parent to provide the student's federal social security number.   • Bill requires the department to develop a system of unique student identification numbers and requires each local school board to assign such a number to each student enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school.  The student identification number shall not be derived from the student’s social security number.  • Bill requires each student to retain his student identification number for as long as he or she is enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school in Virginia. • Provisions become effective on August 1, 2015.

21. College credit at state institutions • Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (Council), in consultation with the governing board of each public institution of higher education, to establish a policy for granting undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have taken one or more Advanced Placement, Cambridge Advanced (A/AS), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), or International Baccalaureate examinations.   • Bill repeals the current law under which such governing boards individually implement such policies • Has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2016.

22. Math sol review • Must be completed by October 2016 • Standards will change and assessments will probably change

23. Parents opting out of sol testing (State Superintendent’s memo #110-15) • All students enrolled in Virginia public schools are expected to take the applicable state tests. The Virginia Board of Education Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia, available online at www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/accreditation/soa.doc, state: “In kindergarten through eighth grade, where the administration of Virginia assessment program tests are required by the Board of Education, each student shall be expected to take the tests” and “each student in middle and secondary schools shall take all applicable end-of-course SOL tests following course instruction” (p. 9). • The regulations do not provide for what is sometimes referred to as an “opt out policy” for students regarding the Virginia assessments.  If, however, parents refuse to have their student participate in one or more of the required Virginia assessments, the following procedures should be followed within the school division: • The parents should be informed that their student’s score report will reflect a score of “0” for any test that is refused. • The school is strongly encouraged to request a written statement from parents indicating the specific test(s) the parents refuse to have their student complete. The document should be maintained in the student’s file as a record of the decision. • To account for the student, a test record for the refused test(s) is to be submitted for scoring with a Testing Status 51 coded to indicate the parent refusal. • In situations where a student’s test attempt is coded with a Testing Status 51, the “0” score on the test is included in the school and division pass rates calculated for the purpose of state accountability and for performance in federal accountability (Interpretation for 2014-15) .  Because the student receives a “0” score for the refused test, the school and division participation rates for federal accountability are not affected. • If a parent or student refuses an opportunity to retake an end-of-course SOL test that the student previously failed, the procedures for handling this situation would be somewhat different.  No test record would be submitted because the student was already accounted for by the initial end-of-course test attempt. The parent and student should be made aware, however, of any potential impact that not earning a verified credit may have on the student’s attempt to graduate or meet specific diploma requirements.

24. Opt-out in 2015-16 • Dr. Steve Staples, State Superintendent, stated at Lynchburg College on June 18 that the Board of Education was changing the regulations for 2015-16. • The “0” effect, where a student who opts out will not be counted at all in accreditation scores, will be for next year’s testing – the Board is adding it into their accreditation changes in process.

25. A Few Items Easily Missed • Requires each school board to annually provide parent educational information on eating disorders for public school students in grades five through 12. The bill also requires the Department of Education and the Department of Health to develop and implement policies for providing parent educational information on eating disorders.

26. Electronic Cigarettes • § 22.1-279.6 requires each school board to develop and implement a policy to prohibit the use of electronic cigarettes on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity. It also must include in its code of student conduct a prohibition against possessing electronic cigarettes on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity. The bill requires school boards to update their policies and codes of student conduct by July 1, 2015.

27. Express Milk Policy • The General Assembly added § 22.1-79.5 which requires each local school board to adopt a policy to set aside, in each school in the school division, a non-restroom location that is shielded from the public view to be designated as an area in which any mother who is employed by the local school board or enrolled as a student may take breaks of reasonable length during the school day to express milk to feed her child until the child reaches the age of one.

28. Hazing • An amendment to section 18.2-56 requires the policies of any public school or public institution of higher education regarding hazing to be consistent with model policies established by the Department of Education or the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, as applicable, and directs such agencies to establish such model policies with the Department of Criminal Justice Services.

29. A stepparent has the same rights under FERPA as natural parents, provided that the stepparent is present on a day-to-day basis with the natural parent and child, and the other parent is absent from the home. Conversely, a stepparent who is not present on a day-to-day basis in the home of the child does not have rights under FERPA with respect to that child’s records

30. Noncustodial Parent Rights • Have the same right to access records, receive education-related material, meet with teachers, and participate in school activities (FERPA and §22.1-279.5 of The Code of Virginia) • Exception is if there is a court order denying access • Custodial parent must provide such information

31. Standards of Quality Requirements • 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….

32. A plan to notify students and their parents of the availability of dual enrollment and advanced placement classes, the International Baccalaureate Program, and Academic Year Governor's School Programs, the qualifications for enrolling in such classes and programs ….

33. Each local school board shall notify the parents of rising eleventh and twelfth grade students of (i) the number and subject area requirements of standard and verified units of credit required for graduation pursuant to the standards for accreditation and (ii) the remaining number and subject area requirements of such units of credit the individual student requires for graduation.

34. Each local school board shall notify the parent of such students with disabilities who have an individualized education program and who fail to meet the requirements for a standard or advanced studies diploma of the student's right to a free and appropriate education to age 21, inclusive, pursuant to Article 2 (§ 22.1-213 et seq.) of Chapter 13 of this title.

35. Students are to be counseled annually regarding the opportunities for using additional tests for earning verified credits as provided in accordance with the provisions of 8 VAC20-131-110, and the consequences of failing to fulfill the obligations to complete the requirements for verified units of credit.

36. Each local school board shall provide notification of the right to a free public education for students who have not reached 20 years of age on or before August 1 of the school year, pursuant to Chapter 1 (§ 22.1-1 et seq.) …, to the parent of students who fail to graduate or who have failed to achieve the number of verified units of credit required for graduation as provided in the standards for accreditation. If such student who does not graduate or achieve such verified units of credit is a student for whom English is a second language, the local school board shall notify the parent of the student's opportunity for a free public education in accordance with § 22.1-5.

37. Each local school board shall develop policies and procedures to address complaints of sexual abuse of a student by a teacher or other school board employee.

38. A current copy of the school division policies, required by this section, including the Student Conduct Policy, shall be posted on the division's website and shall be available to employees and to the public. School boards shall ensure that printed copies of such policies are available as needed to citizens who do not have online access. • An annual announcement shall be made in each division at the beginning of the school year and, for parents of students enrolling later in the academic year, at the time of enrollment, advising the public that the policies are available in such places.

39. False Statements Concerning Residency • Any person who knowingly makes a false statement concerning the residency of a child, as determined by § 22.1-3, in a particular school division or school attendance zone, for the purposes of (i) avoiding the tuition charges authorized by § 22.1-5 or (ii) enrollment in a school outside the attendance zone in which the student resides, shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor and shall be liable to the school division in which the child was enrolled as a result of such false statements for tuition charges, pursuant to § 22.1-5, for the time the student was enrolled in such school division.

40. Student Records: Virginia Requirement to Notify Parents and Students Includes • types and location of scholastic records and information maintained • title and address of individual responsible for maintenance of scholastic records, the parties to whom data may be disclosed, and the purpose for disclosure • policies for reviewing and expunging scholastic records • policy for disclosure of data from scholastic records • right of parents and eligible students to challenge content of scholastic records and to file complaint with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office concerning failure of LEA to comply with the law • fee, if any, for reproducing copies of scholastic records • data designated as directory information, 22.1-287.1. • right of parents and eligible students to obtain, upon request, a copy of the LEA written policy and procedure on the management of the scholastic records and the location of the policy

41. Additional Requirements • … Local school boards shall develop and implement policies to advise the parent of each student enrolled in the school division of the availability of information in the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry and the location of the Internet website http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/.

42. … Local school boards shall also develop protocols governing the release of children to persons who are not their parent.

43. Articulation Agreement with Community Colleges • Local school boards and community colleges are required under legislation to develop a written articulation agreement allowing high school students to complete an associate's degree or a one-year Uniform Certificate of General Studies from a community college concurrent with a high school diploma. Parents and students must be notified of the agreement.

44. Child Abuse Reporting • Athletic coaches, directors, or other persons aged 18 years or older employed by or volunteering with private sports organizations or teams and administrators or employees aged 18 years or older of public or private day camps, youth centers, and youth recreation programs were added to the list of persons required to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Social Services. This could impact employees working in various capacities during the summer especially if schools pay individuals to work summer camps.

45. In addition, another amendment reduced the time limit for reporting suspected child abuse or neglect by mandated reporters from 72 hours to as soon as possible but no longer than 24 hours and increases the penalty for a second or subsequent failure to report from not less than $100 nor more than $1,000 to a fine of not less than $1,000; provides that, in cases evidencing acts of rape, sodomy, or object sexual penetration, a person who knowingly and intentionally fails to make the required report shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor; and provides that no mandatory reporter shall be required to make a report if the person has actual knowledge that the same matter has already been reported to the local department or the Department's toll-free child abuse and neglect hotline.

46. Virginia Attorney General Opinion 10-105 on Search and Seizure • According to the Virginia Attorney General, searches and seizures of students’ cellular phones and laptops are permitted when there is a reasonable suspicion that the student is violating the law or the rules of the school. • School officials should not share explicit materials depicting minors with other school personnel, but rather the material should be brought to the attention of the appropriate law enforcement agents.

47. Advanced Placement Classes Attorney General Opinion 10-121 • A local school board cannot impose a mandatory fee on students taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses for the required taking of the AP examination.

48. Use of Profanity • §18.2-416 Punishment for using abusive language to another. • If any person shall, in the presence or hearing of another, curse or abuse such other person, or use any violent abusive language to such person concerning himself or any of his relations, or otherwise use such language, under circumstances reasonably calculated to provide a breach of the peace, he shall be guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.

49. Suicide Prevention • § 22.1-272.1 of the Code requires licensed school personnel to contact at least one of a student’s parents when the student is at imminent risk of suicide. The professional is to ask the parent if he/she is aware of their child’s mental state and if they wish to obtain counseling or if they have already received counseling. If the reason for possible suicide is parental abuse, contact is with a social services agency. Suicide Prevention Guidelines (2003) can be found at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/prevention.pdf

50. Items for Every Handbook • Mandatory Notifications • FERPA