In accordance with 8VAC20-131-110(B) of the Standards of Accreditation, a "verified unit of credit" or "verified credit" is a credit awarded for a course in which a student earns a standard unit of credit and completes one of the following:
Achieves a passing score on a corresponding end-of-course SOL test.
Achieves a passing score on an additional test, as defined in 8VAC20-131-5, as a part of the Virginia Assessment Program.
Meets the criteria for the receipt of a locally awarded verified credit (see below) when the student has not passed a corresponding SOL test.
GUIDELINES FOR STANDARD DIPLOMA CREDIT ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Credit accommodations for the Standard Diploma shall be determined by the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team or 504 plan committee, including the student where appropriate, at any point after the student’s eighth-grade year. The school must secure the informed written consent of the parent/guardian and the student, as appropriate, to choose credit accommodations after review of the student’s academic history and full disclosure of the student’s options.
The student must meet the following criteria to be eligible to receive credit accommodations for the Standard Diploma: a. Student must have a current IEP or 504 plan with standards-based content goals.
b. Student has a disability that precludes his/her from achieving and progressing commensurate with grade level expectations but is learning on grade level content.
c. Student needs significant instructional supports to access grade level Standards of Learning (SOL) content and to show progress.
d. Based on multiple objective measures of past performance, the student might not be expected to achieve the required standard and verified units of credit within the standard time frame.
ASSESSMENTS USED TO VERIFY CREDIT
Identify and approve additional substitute tests to earn a verified credit. The Board of Education may from time to time approve additional tests that are recommended by the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the purpose of awarding verified credit. The Virginia Department of Education may partner with a school division in the procedure to nominate an additional test. Such additional tests, which enable students to earn verified units of credit, must, at a minimum, meet the following criteria:
The test must be standardized and graded independently of the school or school divisions in which the test is given;
The test must be knowledge based;
The test must be administered on a multi-state or international basis, or administered as part of another state’s accountability assessment program; and
To be counted in a specific academic area, the test must measure content that incorporates or exceeds the SOL content in the course for which verified credit is given..
COURSE OFFERINGS
Approve additional course options available only to students with disabilities to meet the standard credit requirements for the Standard Diploma:
Augment the Personal Finance course (3120) to include the 22 Work Readiness Skills (WRS) for the Commonwealth. Allow this augmented course to meet the Economics and Personal Finance requirement if the student has earned at least 3 standard credits in history and social science. The economics strand in these courses would be deemed a credit accommodation. Upon completion of the augmented Personal Finance course, the student may take the WRS assessment to earn the Board-approved Work Readiness Skills credential. This approach would satisfy the graduation requirements for economics and personal finance, history and social sciences, and the workplace credential.
Establish minimum content courses in the subject areas required for verified credits and provide flexibility in how the courses are delivered. Allow parts I and II of certain required courses to each earn a standard credit towards the total number required in the subject area.
The student must successfully complete:
Four standard credits in English and one verified credit each in Reading and Writing ii.
Three standard credits in mathematics that include Algebra I and Geometry, and one verified credit in mathematics
Three standard credits in science that include Earth Science and Biology, and one verified credit in science - Attachment A, Memo No. 105-13 April 19, 2013
Three standard credits in history and social science that include Virginia and U.S. History and Virginia and U.S. Government, and one verified credit in history and social science
ADDITIONAL CREDIT ACCOMMODATIONS
The Board may, from time to time, approve additional credit accommodations.
Final approval for Locally Awarded Verified Credits will be awarded by the High School Principal.