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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 8. Education
Agency 20. State Board of Education
Chapter 132. Virginia Standards of Accreditation
12/27/2024

8VAC20-132-90. Instructional program in middle schools.

A. The middle school shall provide each student a program of instruction that corresponds to the Standards of Learning for English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. In addition, each school shall provide instruction in art, music, world language, physical education and health, and career and technical exploration and shall require students to participate in a program of physical fitness during the regular school year in accordance with guidelines established by the board. Each middle school shall provide a course in career investigation in accordance with the provisions of 8VAC20-132-140. School divisions may seek alternate means of delivering the career investigation course content, provided it is equivalent in content and rigor and provides the foundation for students to develop their academic and career plans as described in 8VAC20-132-140 C 2. Possible alternative means to deliver the career investigation course content could include online methods, middle school exploratory course options, and delivering the course content through other courses.

B. The middle school shall provide a minimum of eight courses to students in grade eight. English, mathematics, science, and history and social science shall be required. Four elective courses shall be available: level one of a world language, one in health and physical education, one in fine arts, and one in career and technical exploration.

C. Level one of a world language and an Algebra I course shall be available to all eighth-grade students. For any secondary school credit-bearing course taken in middle school, parents may request that grades be omitted from the student's transcript and the student earn no high school credit for the course in accordance with policies adopted by the local school board. Notice of this provision must be provided to parents with a deadline and format for making such a request. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a middle school from offering any other credit-bearing courses for graduation.

D. To provide students a sufficient opportunity to learn, each student shall be provided a total of 560 instructional hours per year in the four academic disciplines of English, mathematics, science, and history and social science.

E. Each school shall ensure that students who are unable to read with comprehension the materials used for instruction receive additional instruction in reading, which may include summer school.

F. In accordance with the Standards of Quality, each school shall ensure that students in grades six through eight who need targeted mathematics remediation or intervention, including remediation or intervention for computational deficiencies as demonstrated by their individual performance on any diagnostic test or grade-level SOL mathematics test, shall receive additional instruction in mathematics, which may include summer school. Students in grades six through eight who are at risk of failing the Algebra I end-of-course test shall be provided Algebra readiness intervention services.

Statutory Authority

§§ 22.1-16 and 22.1-253.13:3 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 41, Issue 1, eff. September 25, 2024.

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