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held around the state on July 14.
The state is accepting comments from the public until August 7 on amendments to the “Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia.” Mail comments to: Charles Finley, Department of Education, P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, 23218-2120.
In discussions with the board’s specialist in policy and public affairs, Charles Finley, on July 24, I understand all schools will be held accountable to have 70 percent of students passing SOL tests beginning in school year 2003-2004, as proposed in the standards.
The SOAs were published in the March 17 edition of the Virginia Register.
The proposed amendments were published in the July 17 edition of the Virginia Register, available at all public libraries or on the Department of Education’s Internet home page :http ://ww w. pen. k 12 va. u s. Anthology/VDOE/.
I note two items of interest in the proposed amendments: family life education (so-called sex ed) on page 16 and elementary guidance counselors on page 21.
On family life education (FLE), the current SOA mandates FLE be taught in every grade, K-12. A proposed change will allow local districts to decide if, when, and how much LFE to include in their class instruction.
It will also allow local school districts to decide if FLE should be opt-in, or optout.
Basically, it leaves the decision up to the local school board.
Proposed amendment to FLE, page 16, changes word “shall” to “may” which would now read: “Each school may implement the Standards of Learning for the Family Life Education program promulgated by the Board of Education or a Family Life Education program consistent with the guidelines developed by the Board of Education” and adds: “which shall have the goals of reducing the incidence of pregnancy and/or sexually-transmitted diseases and substances abuse among teenagers.”
Page 21, paragraph A4 authorizes reading specialists in lieu of elementary guidance counselors.
There is a difference between “elementary school guidance counseling” and ■* academic or career guidance counseling. Parents have expressed both support and opposition to elementary counseling.
This is an opportunity for you to review your local program and the new standards.
Citizens are urged to take advantage of this opportunity to review the proposed amendments and write the state board with their comments.
CATHY LOU SMITH
Amissville
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