Virginia Administrative Code › Title 8 - EDUCATION › Agency 20 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Chapter 131 - REGULATIONS ESTABLISHING STANDARDS FOR ACCREDITING PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA › Part VIII - School Accreditation › Section 8VAC20-131-420 - Waivers and alternative accreditation plans

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Except as
				  specified in this section, the board may grant, for a period of up to five
				  years, a waiver of requirements of this chapter that are not mandated by state
				  or federal law or designed to promote health or safety. The board may grant all
				  or a portion of the request for a waiver and designate conditions as
				  appropriate. Waivers of requirements in
				  8VAC20-131-30,
				  8VAC20-131-50,
				  8VAC20-131-51,
				  8VAC20-131-70, and
				  8VAC20-131-370 through
				  8VAC20-131-430 shall not be
				  granted, and no waiver may be approved for a program that violates the
				  Standards of Quality.
B. Waivers of
				  some of the requirements of this chapter may be granted by the board based on
				  submission of a request from the division superintendent and chairman of the
				  local school board. The request shall include documentation of the
				  justification and need for the waiver. In no event shall waivers be granted to
				  the requirements of Part III (8VAC20-131-30 et seq.)
				  of this chapter except that the board may provide for the waiver of certain
				  graduation requirements and the subsequent award of a high school diploma in
				  8VAC20-131-50 and
				  8VAC20-131-51 upon (i) the board's
				  initiative; (ii) the request of a local school board; or (iii) upon the request
				  of the parent of any high school senior who died in good standing prior to
				  graduation during the student's senior year. Such waivers shall be granted only
				  for good cause and shall be considered on a case-by-case basis. The board shall
				  develop guidelines for implementing this chapter.
Any student with a disability whose Individualized
					 Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan documents that the student cannot
					 successfully complete training in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary
					 resuscitation, or the use of automated external defibrillators, including
					 hands-on practice of the skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary
					 resuscitation, as required for graduation in
					 8VAC20-31-50 B 2 and C 2 and
					 8VAC20-131-51 B 2 and C 2 shall be
					 granted a waiver from this graduation requirement.
C. Waivers for innovative or school
				  experimental programs. With the approval of the local school board, schools
				  seeking to implement experimental or innovative programs, or both, that are not
				  consistent with this chapter shall submit a waiver request to the board for
				  evaluation and approval prior to implementation. The request must include the
				  following:
1. Purpose and objectives of the
				  experimental or innovative programs;
2. Description and duration of the
				  programs;
3. Anticipated
				  outcomes;
4. Number of students
				  affected;
5. Evaluation procedures;
				  and
6. Mechanisms for measuring
				  goals, objectives, and student academic achievement.