Academic Resources
20 Questions to Ask your School Counselor: Prepared by The College Board:
Your school counselor is one of your best resources as you plan for
college. Your counselor has information about admissions tests, college
preparation, and your education and career options. The site includes
some basic questions to help get your conversation started.
Test-Taking Tips:
Whether you are a high school or college student, tests are
unavoidable. If you take a multiple-choice exam, your strategy will be
different than if you were to take an essay test. This site discusses
proper note taking, studying and test taking strategies as a vital part
of improving your grade and academic success.
Study Skills:
HowToStudy.com provides free links to valuable sites on the Internet related to the subject of studying.
Early College Scholars:
The Early College Scholars program allows and encourages eligible high
school seniors to complete their high school diploma and concurrently
earn at least 15 hours of transferable credits toward a college degree,
resulting in a more productive senior year and reducing the amount of
college tuition for families.
CTE Administrative Planning Guide (APG):
Includes
information to help school divisions plan and schedule career and
technical instructional programs and make the best use of instructional
resources. The document is organized around specific program areas and
the courses, course sequences, and certifications available to students
as they begin preparing for careers.
Path To Industry Credentialing for Secondary Career and Technical Education:
Encourages students to work toward earning an industry certification,
achieving a state licensure, or passing an occupational competency
assessment while pursuing a high school diploma. Students who earn a
credential and complete a Career and Technical program may earn up to
two student-selected verified credits to meet graduation requirements.
The Virginia Board of Education has approved 151 credentials for career
and technical education (CTE) courses or course sequences.
Career Connections:
Designed
to help students prepare for careers and continuing education in a
challenging and rapidly changing workplace. The total concept of Career
Connections includes the components of career information resources,
career development, and career connecting links.
Commonwealth Scholars:
The primary goal of Commonwealth Scholars is to increase
the number of high school graduates who successfully complete a
specified program of academic courses that are designed to prepare them
to enter community colleges and universities ready to succeed.
Commonwealth Scholars is targeted to “middle majority” and first
generation students.
Virginia Department of Education, Office of Career and Technical Education:
Career and Technical Education in Virginia annually serves more than
550,000 students in grades 6-12 through its career and technical courses
and programs. At the state level, Career and Technical Education
supports many initiatives and provides valuable resources that further
enhance the value of its educational offerings.
Virginia Department of Education, Office of Middle and High School Instruction:
Office of Middle School Instruction
Office of High School Instruction
Provides quality instruction in a well-articulated educational program
to Virginia’s middle and high schools to include English-language arts;
mathematics; science; history, social sciences and international
education; fine arts; health, physical education and driver education;
gifted education and Governor’s schools; school counseling; STEM
education; and foreign languages. Additionally, the Office provides
leadership on Standards of Learning, program initiatives, state and
federal grants, and facilitates technical assistance to the field.
Virtual Virginia:
A program of the Virginia Department of Education serving students
in Virginia middle and high schools by providing flexible options for
the diverse educational needs of students and their families. The
program offers access to online courses for students who might not be
able to take advanced placement and world
language courses due to
the lack of a highly qualified instructor, too few students to offer the
course, or scheduling conflicts within the school.
Governor’s Career and Technical Academies:
Academies are programs designed to expand student options in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy and the related
skills and credentials that will prepare students for high-demand,
high-wage and high-skill careers.
Courses to Satisfy Graduation Requirements for the Standard, Advanced Studies,
and Modified Standard Diplomas in Virginia Public Schools: Section 8 VAC 20-131-50 of Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia (8
VAC 20-131-10 et. seq.) (the Standards of Accreditation - SOA) sets
forth the requirements for the Standard, Advanced Studies, and Modified
Standard Diplomas. Those requirements specify which level of courses
and/or subject area disciplines students must complete to earn either a
standard or verified unit of credit in the areas of mathematics,
laboratory science, and history and social science, as well as the
credit requirements in other content disciplines. The regulations also
specify that the Board of Education can approve additional courses
(other than those specifically named in the standards) to satisfy the
requirements in those areas.
For students entering the 9th grade prior to 2010-2011
For students entering the 9th grade in 2010-2011 and beyond