Proposed Text
CHAPTER 700
REGULATIONS FOR CONDUCTING DIVISION-LEVEL ACADEMIC REVIEWS (REPEALED)
8VAC20-700-10. Definitions. (Repealed.)
The following words and terms when used in this regulation
shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise:
"Department" means the Virginia Department of
Education.
"Division-level academic review" means the
process used to analyze a school division's systems and practices to determine
the degree to which the local school board is meeting its responsibilities
under the Standards of Quality.
"External review" means a division-level academic
review conducted by an organization or agency at the request of a local school
board.
8VAC20-700-20. Criteria for selection for review. (Repealed.)
The Board of Education shall consider the following
criteria in selecting school divisions for division-level academic reviews:
1. The school division's accountability determination for student
achievement as required in federal law;
2. The percentage of students attending schools that are not
fully accredited in the division exceeds the statewide average; and
3. School academic review findings in the division report
the failure of the division's schools to reach full accreditation is related to
the school board's noncompliance with the Standards of Quality.
8VAC20-700-30. Structure of the review. (Repealed.)
A. All division-level academic reviews shall be conducted
in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board of Education, which may
include, but are not limited to, on-site reviews, interviews of school division
personnel, review and observation of operational practices, and the analysis of
data related to compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
B. The Department of Education is authorized to contract
with organizations or agencies to conduct division-level academic reviews.
C. Reports of the academic review findings shall be given
to the division superintendent, the chair of the local school board, and the
Board of Education.
8VAC20-700-40. Division improvement plans and corrective
actions. (Repealed.)
A. School divisions shall develop division improvement
plans, including corrective actions for increasing student achievement and
correcting any areas of noncompliance determined through the division-level
academic review. The school board shall hold a public hearing on the
improvement plan at least 15 days prior to the approval of the plan by the
board. These plans shall be approved by the local school board and submitted to
the Board of Education for approval within 60 business days of the issuance of
the division-level academic review report. Upon Board of Education approval,
the division improvement plan and corrective actions shall become part of the
school division's divisionwide comprehensive, unified, long-range plan required
by the Standards of Quality.
B. The division superintendent and chair of the local
school board may request an extension of the due date for the division
improvement plan and corrective actions for good cause shown by appearing
before the Board of Education to explain the rationale for the request and
provide evidence that a delay will not have an adverse impact upon student
achievement.
C. The Board of Education shall monitor the implementation
of the division improvement plan and corrective actions developed by a school
division as part of the division-level academic review process. This plan must
include a schedule for reporting the school division's progress toward completion
of the corrective actions to the Board of Education and the public. Any school
division not implementing corrective actions, not correcting areas of
noncompliance, or failing to develop, submit, and implement required plans and
status reports shall be required to report its lack of action directly to the
Board of Education and the public.
D. Areas of noncompliance that remain uncorrected shall be
reported in the Board of Education's Annual Report to the Governor and General
Assembly on the Condition and Needs of Public Schools in Virginia. The Board of
Education may take additional action to seek compliance with school laws
pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Code of Virginia.
8VAC20-700-50. External reviews. (Repealed.)
A. The Board of Education may accept a division-level
review conducted by an organization or agency upon the request of a local
school board if the review meets or exceeds the requirements for reviews
conducted by the department as prescribed in 8VAC20-700-30. Agencies that
conduct these reviews must employ individuals whose qualifications meet or
exceed those of individuals who serve as department representatives for the
purpose of conducting academic reviews. The Board of Education shall monitor
the implementation of any required corrective actions developed by the school
division as prescribed in 8VAC20-700-40.
B. Requests for approval of an external review process
submitted to the board must include, at a minimum, the following documentation:
1. A description of the organization or agency that will
conduct the review;
2. The scope and dates of the review;
3. Qualifications of the individuals who will conduct the
review; and
4. Certification from the chairman of the local school board
and division superintendent that the review will meet or exceed the
requirements for academic reviews adopted by the board.
C. Upon completion of the external review process, the
division superintendent shall submit a copy of the final report provided by the
reviewer to the Department of Education within 60 days of receipt of the report
and comply with the required follow-up activities prescribed in 8VAC20-700-40,
including a review of the report in a public meeting of the school board prior
to submission.