Department of Education

 

GDForum ID: 288

Description of Proposed Guidance Document Changes

To ensure the safety of citizens of Virginia during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Governor of Virginia closed all schools for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. While the health and well-being of students and staff remain the top priority, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) also recognizes the incredible strain that extended closures have placed on local school divisions in meeting their obligations to students and the state. VDOE has been fielding questions and concerns regarding the impact of extended closures. Some of the common and most critical issues for school divisions are the instructional and logistical barriers to meeting graduation requirements, awarding of credits, and continuity of learning. The goal of this document is to provide school divisions with information and solutions around graduation requirements, promotion, new instruction, and ease of process. The intent is not to over burden or restrict our school divisions but to provide hope, engagement, and a measure of normalcy during this period of unprecedented uncertainty. School divisions are not being asked to replicate the existing school day or year, but provide opportunities for students to make academic progress and continue to learn and grow. This document does not address seat time, SOL testing and other assessments, and accreditation and will issue separate communications on those items once state and federal waiver processes have been completed. School divisions are encouraged to track and collect data on the expenses related to COVID-19 that are projected to be incurred above and beyond anticipated expenditures. This data could be used to support funding to be detailed at a later date. Due to the declared state of emergency, this document is effective immediately.

 

Guidance Document(s) for this Comment Forum

Document ID	Document Title	Document in Effect	Proposed Document
COVID19	Emergency Guidance on Graduation Requirements, Awarding of Credits and Continuity of Learning Due to COVID-19	n/a	Proposed Document

 

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