______________________________________________________________________________

 

 

SECTION L:  Education Agency Relations

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

 

CODE
LA	Education Agency Relations Goals
LB	Relations With Private Schools
LBD	Home Instruction
LC	Charter Schools
LC-E	Charter School Application
LE	Relations With Colleges and Universities
LEA	Student Teaching and Internships
LEB	Advanced Alternative Courses for Credit
LI	Relations With Educational Accreditation Agencies
Back to Table of Contents

 

 

File:  LA

EDUCATION AGENCY RELATIONS GOALS

 

             The School Board generally supports the educational endeavors of other institutions whose goals are compatible with those of the division.

 

            In its relationship to other educational institutions, the School Board will strive to stand as a partner and colleague in such ways as described below.

 

1.         Post high school institutions

 

            a.         Within its resources and according to abilities and efforts of each student, the school division will seek to prepare students for successful experiences in post high school institutions.

 

            b.         To the extent appropriate and applicable, the school division will seek to utilize the resources of post high school institutions for the development of its own staff.

 

            c.         The school division will cooperate with post high school institutions in selected areas of research and experimentation which have the potential to increase the effectiveness of teacher preparation or staff development and/or which directly improve the local instructional program.

 

2.         Other Institutions and Organizations

 

            a.         The school division will work cooperatively with other school divisions in selected programs when it is beneficial to do so.

 

            b.         The school division will assume appropriate responsibility for improving the climate for education, particularly with reference to expanding the fiscal base, providing for efficient expenditure of funds, and bringing about state or federal legislation which improves education or contributes to division goals.

 

3.         The school division will cooperate with professional educational organizations recognized by the division as important forces for the improvement of education.

 

4.         The school division will cooperate with institutions such as educational service units and regional laboratories when their programs are consistent with the goals of the division.

 

Adopted:

Revised:            August 2002

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Refs.:      Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, sections 22.1-78;

                       

© 5/02 VSBA                                       BEDFORD COUNTY

______________________________________________________________________________

 

File:  LB

RELATIONS WITH PRIVATE SCHOOLS

 

            The School Board and superintendent shall work cooperatively with private schools that serve the community in all matters of common interest, unless expressly prohibited by state statutes. The superintendent is authorized to consult with officials of these schools to determine areas of mutual concern and interest and to make recommendations to the Board.

 

Adopted:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Refs.:      Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, sections 22.1-78;  22.1‑316 through 22.1‑345

 

© 6/96 VSBA                                       BEDFORD COUNTY

______________________________________________________________________________

 

File:  LBD

HOME INSTRUCTION

 

The Bedford County School Board recognizes that when the requirements of Va. Code § 22.1-254.1 are complied with instruction of children by their parents is an acceptable alternative form of education under the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Any parent of any child who will have reached the fifth birthday on or before September 30 of any school year and who has not passed the eighteenth birthday may elect to provide home instruction in lieu of school attendance if he

(i)                  holds a baccalaureate degree in any subject from an accredited institution of higher education; or

(ii)                is a teacher of qualifications prescribed by the Board of Education; or

(iii)               has enrolled the child or children in a correspondence course approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction; or

(iv)              provides a program of study or curriculum which, in the judgment of the division superintendent, includes the standards of learning objectives adopted by the Board of Education for language arts and mathematics and provides evidence that the parent is able to provide an adequate education for the child.

DEFINITION

     For purposes of this policy, "parent" means the biological parent or adoptive parent, guardian or other person having control or charge of a child.

 

            NOTIFICATION BY PARENTS

 

Any parent who elects to provide home instruction in lieu of school attendance shall annually notify the division superintendent no later than August 15 of his intention to so instruct the child and provide a description of the curriculum to be followed for the coming year and evidence of having met one of the criteria for providing home instruction. Any parent who moves into a school division or begins home instruction after the school year has begun shall

notify the division superintendent of his intention to provide home instruction as soon as practicable and shall comply with the requirements of this policy within thirty days of such notice.  The division superintendent shall notify the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the number of students in the school division receiving home instruction.

 

EVIDENCE OF PROGRESS

 

A parent who elects to provide home instruction to a child who is over the age of six as of September 30 of the school year shall provide the division superintendent by August 1 following the school year in which the child has received home instruction with either (i) evidence that the child has attained a composite score in or above the fourth stanine on a battery of achievement tests which have been approved by the Board of Education for use in the public schools or (ii) an evaluation or assessment which, in the judgment of the division superintendent, indicates that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress.

 

     In the event that evidence of progress as required in this subsection is not provided by the parent, the home instruction program for that child may be placed on probation for one year. 

 

 Parents shall file with the division superintendent evidence of their ability to provide an adequate education for their child and a remediation plan for the probationary year which indicates their

program is designed to address any educational deficiency.  Upon acceptance of such evidence and plan by the division superintendent, the home instruction may continue for one probationary year.  If the remediation plan and evidence are not accepted or the required evidence of progress is not provided by August 1 following the probationary year, home instruction shall cease and the parent shall make other arrangements for the education of the child which comply with Va. Code § 22.1-254.

 

            IMMUNIZATIONS

 

Any parent, guardian or other person having control or charge of a child being home instructed, exempted or excused from school attendance shall comply with the immunization requirements provided in Va. Code § 32.1-46 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the child has been enrolled in and is attending school.

 

     Upon request by the division superintendent, the parent shall submit to such division superintendent documentary proof of immunization in compliance with Va. Code § 32.1-46.

 

No proof of immunization shall be required of any child upon submission of (i) an affidavit to the division superintendent stating that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with the parent's or guardian's religious tenets or practices or (ii) a written certification from a licensed physician or nurse practitioner that one or more of the required immunizations may be detrimental to the child's health, indicating the specific nature of the medical condition or circumstance that contraindicates immunization.

 

NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS

 

Students receiving home instruction and their parents will be notified of the availability of Advanced Placement (AP) and Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) examinations and the availability of financial assistance to low-income and needy students to take these examinations. Such notice will be given when the parent notifies the division that the student will receive home instruction.

 

Adopted:

Revised: December 2005

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Refs.:      Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1‑254, 22.1‑254.1, 22.1-271.4,

32.1-46.

 

Pollard v. Goochland County School Board, No. 3:00CV563 (E.D. Va. Sept. 27,  2001).

 

 © 5/05 VSBA                                          BEDFORD COUNTY

______________________________________________________________________________

 

File:  LC

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Purpose

 

In order to (i) encourage the development of innovative programs; (ii) provide opportunities for innovative instruction and student assessment; (iii) provide parents and students more choices; (iv) provide innovative scheduling, structure and management; (v) encourage the use of performance-based educational programs; (vi) establish high standards for teachers and administrators; and (vii) develop models for replication in other public schools, the Bedford County School Board shall receive and consider applications for the establishment of charter schools.

 

Definition of Charter School

 

            A charter school is a public, non-sectarian alternative school located within the Bedford County school division or operated jointly by multiple school divisions.  A charter school may not be home-based and may be created as a new school or by converting all or part of an existing public school.  Conversions of private schools or home-based programs shall not be permitted.  A charter school for at-risk pupils may be established as a residential school.

 

            In establishing public charter schools within the division, the School Board will give priority to public charter school applications designed to increase the educational opportunities of at-risk students, particularly those at-risk students currently served by schools that have not achieved full accreditation.

 

            All charter schools shall be subject to federal and state law, regulations and constitutional provisions prohibiting discrimination in admissions, employment or operation on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, ancestry or the need for special education services.  Charter schools shall also be subject to any court-ordered desegregation plan in effect in the school division.  Charter schools, like all public schools, shall also be subject to the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

 

Application

 

            Any person, group or organization may submit an application for the formation of a charter school.  Prior to submitting a charter school application to the School Board, a public charter school applicant must submit its proposed charter application to the Board of Education for review and comment.  The Board of Education will examine such applications for feasibility, curriculum, financial soundness, and other objective criteria it may establish, consistent with existing state law.  The Board of Education’s review and comment will be for the purpose of ensuring that the application conforms with such criteria, but will not include consideration of whether the application should be approved by the local school board.

 

The applicant must complete the entire application in the format provided in Exhibit LC-E.  The School Board shall establish a “review team” consisting of appropriate school personnel,

 

a local business representative and a resident charter school proponent to evaluate charter school applications.  The School Board shall designate the chairman of the review team as the contact

person for answering questions about the application process and receiving applications.[1]  The review team shall work cooperatively with applicants for charter schools.  When an application is incomplete, the review team shall request the necessary information; an incomplete application is not grounds for denying a charter.  However, if the applicant does not provide the necessary information within a reasonable timeframe (established by the review team)[2] then the application may be denied. 

 

            The review team shall (1) recommend to the School Board appropriate criteria for reviewing charter school applications; (2) evaluate all charter school applications based on the review criteria adopted by the School Board; (3) recommend one of the following options to the School Board for each application: approve, reject, place on a waiting list or return with suggestions for improvement; (4) monitor charter school progress; and (5) make recommendations for revocation, renewal or non-renewal of charter contracts.

 

            The Bedford County School Board shall require a regulation for receiving, reviewing and ruling on applications for the establishment of charter schools.  Such regulation must include a timeline for the application and review process and the means for reviewing and evaluating each application, including the criteria on which the decision to grant or deny a charter will be based.[3]  A copy of the regulation, including the review criteria, shall be available to any interested party upon request. 

 

School Board Decision

           

            Written notice of the School Board’s decision shall be sent to the applicant and if the application is denied, the written notice shall include the reasons for the denial. The School Board decision whether to grant or deny an application shall be final.

 

Charter Contract

 

            Upon approval of a charter application, the School Board and the management committee of the charter school shall enter into a contract which contains all agreements between the School Board and the charter school; the approved application shall serve as the basis for the contract.[4]  

 

The charter contract shall also include other provisions negotiated by the School Board or its designee. A charter may be granted for up to five years.  Any material revision of the charter

contract shall be made in writing and must be approved by the School Board and the charter school.

 

Waivers of School Board Policy and State Regulation

 

A charter school may operate free from School Board policies and state regulations, except the Standards of Quality, the Standards of Accreditation and Standards of Learning, as agreed in the charter contract.  The School Board shall designate in its regulation governing

charter schools which School Board policies may not be waived.  The School Board shall request from the Board of Education, on behalf of its charter schools, waivers from state regulation

contained in each approved charter application.  If the charter school is designed to increase the opportunities of at-risk students, then the School Board shall request that the Board of Education approve an Individual School Accreditation Plan.

 

Management and Operation     

 

            A charter school shall be administered and operated by a management committee in the manner agreed to in the charter contract. The management committee shall be composed of parents of students enrolled in the school, teachers and administrators working in the school and representatives of any community sponsors, or any combination thereof.  A charter school shall be responsible for its own operations.  However, a charter school may negotiate and contract with the School Board, or any other third party, for the provision of necessary services; services provided by the School Board must be provided at cost (See Section XXIV in the Application).

 

            The applicant and members of the management committee, administrators, and other personnel serving in a public charter school must disclose any ownership or financial interest they may have in renovating, lending, granting, or leasing public charter school facilities.

 

Personnel

 

            Charter school personnel shall be employees of the School Board and shall be selected as agreed in the charter contract. Professional, licensed employees currently employed by the School Board may volunteer for assignment to a charter school and may be assigned by the School Board to a charter school for one contract year and reassigned annually upon the request of the employee and management committee. Professional, licensed employees assigned to a charter school shall receive the same employment benefits as such personnel assigned to noncharter schools.  Professional, licensed personnel who request assignment to a noncharter school or who are not recommended for reassignment in the charter school, other than for reasons cited in § 22.1-307 of the Code of Virginia, shall be transferred to a noncharter school according to School Board policy.[5]

 

            The School Board may employ health, mental health, social services and other related personnel to serve in residential charter schools for at-risk students as determined in the charter

agreement.  However, the School Board is not required to fund the residential or other services provided by a residential charter school.

 

The School Board has the final authority to assign professional, licensed personnel to charter or other schools within the division.[6]

 

Funding

           

Charter schools shall be funded as provided by law and negotiated in the charter contract.

                       

Revocation and Renewal of the Charter Contract[7]

 

            The School Board may revoke a charter contract if:

 

·        the charter school violates the conditions, standards or procedures established in the application;

 

·        the charter school violates a material term of the charter contract (for example, failing to provide required reports to the School Board); [8]

 

·        the charter school fails to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management;

 

·        the charter school violates any provision of law; or

 

·        the School Board determines that it is not in the public interest or for the welfare of the students within the division to continue the operation of the charter school (for example, the charter school is no longer financially sound or fails to achieve state testing standards or decrease absentee rates).

 

A charter contract may be renewed for up to five years.  The management committee must apply to renew the charter by March of the school year the charter expires.[9]  

 

The application for renewal shall contain:

 

• a report on the progress of the charter school in achieving the goals, objectives, program and performance standards for students and other conditions and terms the School Board required in the charter;

• a financial statement, on forms prescribed by the Board of Education, disclosing the costs of administration, instruction and other spending categories which is written in a way to allow the School Board and the public to compare such costs to the costs of other schools and comparable organizations; and

•  other information the School Board may require.

 

If a charter contract is revoked or not renewed, or a charter school is dissolved, the management committee shall be responsible for all financial obligations of the charter school.[10]

 

Reports

 

            The School Board shall report to the Board of Education the following:

 

·        the grant or denial of charter applications;

 

·        the number of charters granted or denied and the reasons for any such denials;

 

·        whether a public charter school is designed to increase the educational opportunities of at-risk students or any students served by schools that have not achieved full accreditation;

 

·        an annual evaluation of each charter school;

 

·        an annual comparison of the performance of charter school students and students enrolled in regular schools; and

 

·        the number of students enrolled in each charter school at the end of the school year.

 

            The Board of Education will report annually to the General Assembly the number of public charter school applications granted and denied, and the reasons for any such denials.

 

Adopted:

Revised: December 2005

 ______________________________________________________________________________

 ______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Ref:         20 U.S.C. § 6311(b)(1)(B).

 

Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §22.1-212.5 et seq.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

File:  LC-E

CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATION

 

 

Any person, group or organization may submit an application for the formation of a

charter school.  Applicants must follow state law and School Board policy regarding charter schools.  Applications must be received by the Superintendent[1] on or before November 20 [2] prior to the year in which the charter school desires to open.  An original plus 25 [3] copies of the application must be submitted.  An application fee of 5 percent of the total budget amount submitted[4] shall be submitted with the application.  Applicants must follow the application format provided below.

 

Information Required by Virginia Law to be in the Application

 

I.          Mission Statement

 

            Describe the mission of the proposed charter school, including any specific area of concentration (i.e. math and science, technology or the arts).  This statement should include the core philosophy or purpose of the school as well as the target student population, including whether the school intends to increase the opportunities of educationally at risk students.[5]  As required by law, the mission must be consistent with the Standards of Quality, the Standards of Accreditation and Standards of Learning.

           

II.         Goals and Educational Objectives

 

            Describe the goals and educational objectives of the proposed charter school.  This section should include broad student achievement goals.  The objectives should be expressed as a concrete, measurable statement of what students should know and be able to do at various levels of education and identify practices that will improve teaching and enhance learning.  As required by law, the objectives and goals must meet or exceed the Standards of Learning.

 

III.       Evidence of Support

 

Provide tangible evidence of support for the of the charter school from an adequate number of parents, teachers, pupils, residents of the school division, or any combination thereof.[6]

 

IV.       Statement of Need

 

            Describe the need for the charter school and how that need was determined.

 

V.        Description of the Education, Pupil Performance Standards, and Curriculum

 

            Describe the curriculum and the methods of instruction, including teaching materials and any innovative techniques to be used.  List the pupil performance standards and how they were established.  This section should also provide the school calendar.  As required by law, the elements in this section must meet or exceed applicable Standards of Quality, the Standards of Accreditation and Standards of Learning. 

 

VI.       Pupil Evaluation: Assessments, Timeline and Corrective Action

 

            Describe the plan for evaluating student performance, including any assessments to be used to measure pupil progress towards achievement of the school’s pupil performance standards, in addition to the Standards of Learning assessments prescribed by Va. Code § 22.1-253.13:3.[7]   Include a timeline for the achievement of the stated standards and goals and a procedure for corrective action if student performance falls below the stated standards and goals.  This section should demonstrate how the charter school will be accountable to the School Board, parents, the community and the state.

 

VII.      Admissions Process

 

            Describe the student admission policy including the lottery (random) process to be used if there are more applicants than spaces available.  If applicable, the admission policy may be tailored to meet the specific mission and goals of the charter school. Any admission process must be consistent with federal and state laws, regulations and constitutions regarding discrimination and any court-ordered desegregation plan in effect in the school division.[8]  This section should include a timeframe for registering and admitting students, and how the school will seek a cross section of the community’s children, including at-risk students.

 

            Describe how transfers of students between charter schools and noncharter schools will be accomplished and how students enrolled after the start of the school year will be accommodated.

 

VIII.     Financial Plan:  Evidence of Economical Soundness, Proposed Budget and Annual Audit

 

            Provide a budget and any other information that illustrates the proposed charter school is economically sound for both the charter school and the school division.[9]  Include detailed sources of revenue and expenditures for the proposed term of the charter (at most five years) and a description of the manner in which an annual audit of the financial and administrative operations of the charter school, including any services provided by the school division, will be conducted.[10]  Anticipated gifts, grants or donations and a student fee schedule should be included.[11]

 

IX.       Displacement Plan:  Pupils and Employees

 

            Describe the displacement plan for students and employees who will not attend or be employed in the charter school, in instances of the conversion of an existing public school to a public charter school, and for the placement of students and employees upon termination or revocation of the charter.  This section should also include a plan for the placement of students and employees if the charter school facility is destroyed (e.g. by flood or fire), unable to be occupied or dissolved for any reason.

 

X.        Management and Operation

 

            Describe the management and operation of the charter school, including the nature and extent of parental, professional educator and community involvement.  List the names and addresses of the proposed management committee.[12]  This section should include (1) a detailed description of the relationship between the management committee and the local school board, including the charter school spokesperson (i.e. who is accountable to the school board); (2) how the charter school will be accountable to the public, including a plan for compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, the Virginia Public Records Act, and reporting requirements; (3) how the management committee is selected and its relationship to the teachers and administrators; (4) a description of the rules and procedures followed to arrive at policy and operational decisions; and (5) summaries of the job descriptions of key personnel, including the school leader/principal. 

 

XI.       Employee Relations

 

            Explain the relationship that will exist between the charter school and its employees, including evidence that the terms and conditions of employment have been addressed with affected employees.[13]

 

XII.      Legal Liability and Insurance Coverage

 

            Describe the arrangement between the charter school and the School Board regarding their respective legal liability and applicable insurance coverage.[14]  Insurance coverage should include health, property and casualty (automobile liability, general liability, property, officer and employee liability) and workers’ compensation.

 

XIII.     Transportation

 

            Describe the plan for transporting students to and from school, including arrangements made with the School Board, private providers or parents.

 

XIV.    Assurances

 

            Assure that the charter school is non-sectarian and will not charge tuition by including a statement to that effect.

 

XV.      Residential School For At-risk Students

 

Describe: (1) the residential program, facilities and staffing; (2) any parental education and after-care initiatives; (3) the funding sources for the residential and other services provided and (4) any counseling or other social services to be provided and their coordination with any current state or local initiatives.

 

XVI.         Disclosures

 

Describe the means by which the applicant, members of the management committee, administrators, and other personnel serving in the proposed public charter school will disclose any ownership or financial interest they may have in renovating, lending, granting, or leasing public charter school facilities and the means by which the members of the management committee, administrators, and other personnel of the public charter school will meet their continuing duty to disclose such interests during the term of any charter.

 

Provisions Required by Law[15]

 

XVII.   Waivers[16]

 

            Describe and justify any waiver from School Board policies and state regulations that the charter school requests.  The Standards of Quality, and by reference the Standards of

Accreditation and Standards of Learning, may not be waived.  Please note that state law only allows waivers of policy and regulation; no waiver of state statutes or federal statutes or regulations is permitted.

 

XVIII.  Discrimination

 

            Assure that the charter school will follow state and federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, ancestry, or the need for special education services and shall be subject to any court-ordered desegregation plan in effect in the school division.

 

XIX.         Results of Review by Department of Education

 

Provide a copy of any review of the proposed charter application by the Virginia Board of Education.

 

Provisions Not Required by Law

 

XX. Applicant Information

 

            List the name, address, phone number and qualifications of the applicant(s) and designate an applicant contact person.

 

XXI.    Facility

           

            Describe the facility(ies) to be used for the charter school or the plan for the acquisition of a facility.  If the facility is not property of the school division, then the following must be provided: (1) a certificate of occupancy; (2) a health inspection certificate; (3) an annual fire certificate of inspection; (4) proof of compliance with federal, state and local health and safety laws and regulations; and (5) a copy of the lease or contract under which the charter school will use the facility.  If the facility is property of the school division, then describe plans, if any, for alteration or renovation.[17]

 

XXII.   Health and Safety

 

Describe the procedures the charter school will implement to ensure the health and safety of the students and employees, including how and if the management committee will conduct a state criminal record check on all employees; how the charter school will conduct fingerprinting and federal criminal record checks, if applicable; how the charter school will comply with the

requirement to report child abuse; and how the charter school will comply with Occupational Safety & Health Act requirements.

 

XXIII.  Indemnity

 

            Assure that the School Board will be defended, held harmless and indemnified against any claim, action, loss, damage, injury, liability, cost or expense of any kind as a result of the operation of the charter school or actions by its agents, employees, invitees or contractors.

 

XXIV.  Services

 

            List the services and their estimated costs that the applicant wishes the School Board to provide; for example, food service, payroll or conducting criminal background checks.[18] Also, list services and their estimated costs that will be provided by others.

 

XXV.   Timeline

 

            Provide a detailed timeline, identifying each step required to establish the charter school, including, but not limited to, staff hiring, location and purchase of materials, implementing the evaluation plan, obtaining necessary services, opening an appropriate facility and consulting with experts, if necessary.  Please remember that, as with establishing Regional Vocational and Governor’s Schools, it will take at least 8-12 months to implement the proposal.

 

XXVI.  Renewal

 

            Assure that if the charter school wants to renew its contract, it shall apply at least six months prior to the expiration of the contract.

 

 

XXVII. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001

 

            Describe the means by which the charter school will comply with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

    

 

File:  LE

RELATIONS WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

 

  

            To protect students and teachers from unnecessary intrusions that may disrupt instruction and regular school activities, requests for college students and professors to observe classes, make surveys, have students complete questionnaires, use students for practice in standardized testing procedures, and interview students, shall be submitted directly to the superintendent by the dean or the head of the department of the college.  Each project shall be fully described in order that proper judgment can be made as to the merits of the proposal, and so that arrangements with the schools can be effected with a minimum of interference with the regular school program.

 

Adopted:

Revised: May 2006

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Ref.:        Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-78, 22.1-79.3.

 

Cross Ref.:       JHDA Human Research

KFB    Administration of Surveys and Questionnaires

 

 

© 2/06 VSBA                                            BEDFORD COUNTY

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

File  LEA

STUDENT TEACHING AND INTERNSHIPS

 

            The School Board shall cooperate with approved colleges and universities in providing laboratory opportunities for student teaching.  The conditions, and policies that shall pertain in governing the administration of the student teaching program in the Bedford County Public Schools are as follows:

 

1.                  Teachers who serve as supervising teachers shall have a minimum of at least two years of teaching experience, one of these in the school to which the student teacher is assigned.

2.                  All teachers who serve as supervising teachers shall be recommended by the principal of the school to the superintendent for approval.

3.                  All supervising teachers shall take a course in supervision of student teaching as soon as possible to improve their competence as supervisors.

4.                  A class shall have no more than one student teacher during the regular school session.  Only with the approval of the superintendent shall any class have a student teacher assigned to it for more than one semester.

5.                  No supervising teacher shall have a student teacher assigned to him for more than one semester during the regular school session.  Any exception to this limitation must be approved by the superintendent.

6.                  All administrative personnel and supervising teachers shall make certain that student teachers acquire the required number of teaching hours necessary for state certification.

7.         The first responsibility of the supervising teacher shall be the educational welfare of the students for whom he is responsible.

8.         Participation in teaching, planning of lessons as units, and involvement in school activities by the student teacher shall be under the supervision and administrative supervision of the principal and the supervising teachers.                                                                              

9.         The administrative and supervisory officers in the school division shall have complete authority to reject or to terminate any student teacher whose professional or ethical behavior has a negative effect on the ongoing instructional program or welfare of students.

10.       Information concerning students may be available to student teachers at the discretion of the supervising teacher and/or principal. In all cases, the student teachers shall respect the confidential nature of information provided.

 

11.       The structure and administration of the student teaching program in the school division

            shall be that of the superintendent or his/her designee, subject to the approval of the Board. 

 

Adopted:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Ref.:        Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, section 22.1-78

Cross Refs.:      JO, Student Records

                        LE, Relations with Colleges and Universities

 

© 6/96 VSBA                                            BEDFORD COUNTY

______________________________________________________________________________

 

File:  LEB

ADVANCED /ALTERNATIVE COURSES FOR CREDIT

 

Advanced Education Courses

 

            Students entering programs of advanced education, whether academic or career and technical, before they have completed requirements for graduation may petition the principal of the school to leave the school program early and yet qualify for graduation with a diploma if:

 

1.         The student is within two credits of all required units for diploma qualification.

 

2.         Assurance is given by the appropriate officials of the sponsoring institution that courses taken in the advanced program are comparable substitutes for those still lacking in the prescribed high school program.  The measure of comparability will be based on course content, course/grading expectations, hours of instruction, and instructor qualifications.

            A minimum of 140 clock hours of instruction by an endorsed teacher in an accredited program will be minimal requirements for the awarding of a full unit of credit.

 

3.         Assurance must be given that all requirements for a high school diploma are based on Bedford County School Division graduation requirements and can fully be met by the completion date of the first year of advanced study.

 

4.         The student must confirm that it is his/her responsibility to transmit all required data and final grades to the high school in order to have them apply toward his/her scholastic credentials and diploma qualification.

 

5.         For college courses, prior written approval is obtained from the high school principal for dual registration, the college accepts the student for admission to the course and the course is given by the college for degree credits.

 

Alternative Educational Courses

 

            Students, teachers, or others involved in special courses taught outside the standard secondary curriculum and who want these courses recorded on student transcripts and/or reflect credit applied toward diploma qualification will make requests through the school principal to the assistant superintendent for secondary education and instructional services.

                                                                                               

            In order for the courses or programs to apply toward diploma qualification the following conditions must be met:

 

1.         A full program description must be submitted including:

 

            a.         The purpose, instructional content, and expected outcome for the course or program.

            b.         A sequence outline of events and activities.

            c.         An estimate of student time involved in the program ‑including study and preparation time.

            d.         A description of the evaluation criteria.

 

2.         A description of the qualifications of the sponsoring organization and instructional personnel.

                                                           

3.         A description of the course evaluation procedures used including the results of previous evaluations of similar activities.

 

4.         Proof of parental endorsement for student participation.

 

            In order for the course/program to qualify for unit credit which would be applicable toward diploma qualification, the following additional criteria must be met:

 

1.         Evidence will be submitted by the sponsoring organization that there is a minimum of 70 hours of supervised instruction for each one‑half unit of credit.

 

2.         Evidence will be submitted that teachers and supervisors, if applicable, have personal expertise, competence, and appropriate credentials to qualify them as teachers or supervisors.

 

3.         Student performance records, including performance and attendance, will be forwarded to and reviewed by the principal upon completion of the course/program.

 

4.         The student and parent will be informed that no more than one unit of credit can be earned for each course taken and no more than two credits can be applied toward diploma qualification.

 

Adopted:

Revised:           June 2001

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Ref.:        Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, section 22.1-78

 

Regulations of the Virginia State Board of Education, Revised 1993, Accreditation Standards, VR 270-01-0012

 

Cross Ref.:       IKF      Graduation Requirements

 

© 5/01 VSBA                                            BEDFORD COUNTY

______________________________________________________________________________

 

File:  LI

RELATIONS WITH EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION AGENCIES

 

            All Bedford County Public Schools shall be accredited according to standards developed by the Board of Education. The school board will review the accreditation status of each school in the division annually in a public session of a board meeting.

 

Adopted:

Revised:           August 2002

Revised:           August 2004

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Legal Refs.:      Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, 22.1-19, 22.1-253. 13:3.

 

                        8 VAC 20-131-10 et seq.

 

© 5/04 VSBA                                      BEDFORD COUNTY

 

Copyright © 2006
Bedford County Public Schools
Phone: 540.586.1045
FAX:   540.586.7703