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Information for Transfer Students

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Section 8VAC 20-131-60 of the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia (also referred to as the Standards of Accreditation or "SOA") prescribes certain requirements applicable to students transferring into Virginia public schools.

Grades K-8

The provisions of 8VAC20-131-60 generally pertain to students who transfer into Virginia high schools.  However, 8VAC20-131-60(A) provides that students transferring in grades kindergarten through 8 from Virginia public schools or nonpublic schools accredited by the Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE) shall be given recognition for all grade-level work completed. The academic record of students transferring from all other schools shall be evaluated to determine appropriate grade placement in accordance with policies adopted by the local school board.

Grades 9-12 

Credit for Transfer Work

School divisions must accept credits towards graduation received from a Virginia public school or a Virginia nonpublic school accredited by one of the approved accrediting constituent members of VCPE. 

School divisions may accept standard units of credit toward graduation from all other schools, including home instruction.  The academic record of a student transferring must be evaluated by the local school division to determine the number of verified units of credit needed to graduate in accordance with 8VAC20-131-60(G).

The following resources may be helpful when determining how to award credit:

Physical Education (PE)

In accordance with 8VAC20-131-60(F), students transferring above the 10th grade from schools or other education programs that do not require or give credit for health and physical education shall not be required to take these courses to meet graduation requirements.

Graduation Requirements

For a student transferring into a Virginia public school for the first time in grades 9-12, graduation requirements depend on the grade the student is transferring into and when in the school year the student is transferring.

Students entering a Virginia public high school for the first time after the 10th grade shall earn as many credits as possible toward the prescribed graduation requirements. However, schools may substitute courses required in other states in the same content area if the student is unable to meet the specific content requirements of 8VAC20-131-51 without taking a heavier than normal course load in any semester, by taking summer school, or by taking courses after the time when the student otherwise would have graduated.

A student is considered to have transferred:

  • at the beginning of the school year if 20 or fewer hours of instruction per course have been completed.
  • during the school year if more than 20 hours of instruction per course has been completed.

Federal law requires each student to be tested in mathematics at least once during high school, therefore some students will be required to complete a mathematics end-of-course test in high school if one was not completed prior to enrolling in a Virginia public high school.

Students entering a Virginia high school:  Graduation requirements, per 8VAC20-131-60 (G)
At the beginning of or during 9th grade  All requirements of 8VAC20-131-51 for the Standard diploma and Advanced Studies diploma.
At the beginning of or during 10th grade  All requirements of 8VAC20-131-51 for the Standard diploma and Advanced Studies diploma.
At the beginning of 11th grade  

All requirements of 8VAC20-131-51 for the Standard diploma and Advanced Studies diploma.

 

Students transferring above the 10th grade from schools or other education programs that do not require or give credit for health and PE shall not be required to take these courses to meet graduation requirements.
During 11th grade or at the beginning of 12th grade  

All requirements of 8VAC20-131-51 for the Standard diploma and Advanced Studies diploma, except only two verified credits required: English and mathematics, if mathematics testing required by federal law, otherwise verified credit may be of student’s own choosing.

 

Students transferring above the 10th grade from schools or other education programs that do not require or give credit for health and PE shall not be required to take these courses to meet graduation requirements. 
During 12th grade  

All requirements of 8VAC20-131-51 for the Standard diploma and Advanced Studies diploma, except only two verified credits required: English and mathematics, if mathematics testing required by federal law, otherwise verified credit may be of student’s own choosing.

 

Students transferring above the 10th grade from schools or other education programs that do not require or give credit for health and PE shall not be required to take these courses to meet graduation requirements. 

 

Students should be given every opportunity to earn a diploma following the graduation requirements in 8VAC20-131-51. If not possible, arrangements should be made for the student’s previous school to award the diploma. If these arrangements cannot be made, a waiver of the verified credit requirements may be requested by the local school board to the Virginia Department of Education.

 

Additional Local Graduation Requirements

In accordance with 8VAC20-131-60(H), any local school division receiving approval to increase its course credit requirements by imposing additional local graduation requirements may not deny either the Standard Diploma or the Advanced Studies Diploma to any transfer student who has otherwise met graduation requirements in the SOA if the transfer student can only meet the division's additional requirements by taking a heavier than normal course load in any semester, by taking summer school, or by taking courses after the time when the student otherwise would have graduated.

Transcripts

The transcript of a student who graduates or transfers from a Virginia secondary school shall conform to the requirements of 8VAC20-160, Regulations Governing Secondary School Transcripts. The accreditation status of a high school shall not be included on the student transcript provided to colleges, universities, or employers.

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