Virginia Law

A. Provision of education to children with disabilities in residence or custody.

1. Each state board, agency, and institution having children with disabilities in residence or custody shall provide education pursuant to standards, policies and procedures established by the Virginia Board of Education that is comparable to that provided to children with disabilities in the public school system.

a. The Department of Correctional Education shall establish and maintain schools for persons committed to the state, regional or local correctional facilities operated by the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice and for persons committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice and placed in a private facility under contract with the Department of Juvenile Justice. (§§ 22.1-7 and 22.1-340 of the Code of Virginia)

b. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall approve the education programs at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind at Staunton. (§§ 22.1-7, 22.1-347, and 22.1-348 of the Code of Virginia)

c. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services has responsibility for providing the education and training to children with mental retardation in residence in its institutions. The Virginia Board of Education shall supervise the education and training provided to school-age residents in state mental retardation facilities. (§ 22.1-7 of the Code of Virginia)

d. The Virginia Board of Education shall provide for and direct the education of school-age residents in state mental health facilities in cooperation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. (§§ 22.1-7 and 22.1-209.2 of the Code of Virginia)

e. The Virginia Board of Education shall prepare and supervise the education and training provided to children in regional and local detention homes. (§§ 22.1-7 and 22.1-209.2 of the Code of Virginia)

f. The Virginia Board of Education shall supervise the evaluation, education, and training provided to school-age children by the Virginia Department of Health and to school-age children in the teaching hospitals associated with the Eastern Virginia Medical Center, the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority, and The University of Virginia Hospitals. (§§ 22.1-7 and 22.1-209.2 of the Code of Virginia)

2. The procedures outlined in 8VAC20-81-230 are applicable to each state board, agency, and institution having children with disabilities in residence and custody. (§ 22.1-7 of the Code of Virginia)

B. Annual program plan. Each state board, agency, and institution having responsibility for providing such education and training shall submit annually to the Virginia Department of Education for approval by the Virginia Board of Education its program plan for the education and training for children with disabilities in residence or custody. This program plan, to be submitted by the date and in the manner specified by the Virginia Board of Education, shall include the provisions and assurances as specified in 8VAC20-81-230.

1. In addition, the program plan shall include the following:

a. The educational objectives of the state board, agency, or institution;

b. Strategies for achieving the educational objectives, including an organized program for staff development;

c. A system of communication between educational and other personnel, including treatment and residential care staff, to ensure coordination of program objectives;

d. A system of communication to ensure service continuity in the transition of the student into and out of the educational program of the facility and, where applicable, the requirements for reenrollment of juveniles committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, as provided for in the Code of Virginia; (§§ 16.1-293 and 22.1-289 E of the Code of Virginia)

e. An assessment plan for determining the extent to which the objectives have been achieved including, where practicable, follow-up studies of former students to assist in annual program evaluation;

f. A system of communication between the state board, agency, or institution and its employees, whereby the views of all educational employees may be received in an orderly and constructive manner;

g. A cooperatively developed procedure for the evaluation of educational personnel; and

h. The grievance procedures regarding educational personnel as prescribed by the state or the appropriate local agency or board.

2. At least 5-1/2 hours of education/training per school day or 27-1/2 hours per school week available for each student to implement the student's IEP.

a. If a student has a medical or physical condition that requires modification of the school schedule, a waiver statement shall be placed on file.

b. This waiver statement shall document the physical or mental condition of the individual student that requires significant modification of this schedule, and personnel from the following facilities shall file statements of concurrence:

(1) The attending physician -- the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services facilities;

(2) The central review committee, institute review committee or Department of Juvenile Justice physician or psychologist for medical or psychological conditions, with a waiver statement signed by the Department of Juvenile Justice security staff or designee for safety or security conditions -- the Department of Correctional Education;

(3) The physician, staffing committee or principal -- the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind at Staunton;

(4) The center counselor upon recommendation of the staffing committee -- Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center;

(5) The attending physician -- state medical facilities;

(6) The detention superintendent or designee -- juvenile detention homes.

3. The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind at Staunton shall provide for each age group of children a planned dormitory and a student-life program, including social and daily living skills, recreation, and cultural activities.

C. Staff and facility.

1. Each state board, agency or institution shall assign personnel to the educational program who are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained, including having the knowledge and skills to serve children with disabilities, and as follows: (34 CFR 300.156)

a. Administrative, supervisory, instructional, support and ancillary personnel holding valid professional licenses, certificates and endorsements as appropriate in the area of assignment (national standards may apply in the absence of state licensure or certification requirements).

b. Additional education personnel to provide required related services as delineated in the child's IEP. Related services providers must be qualified consistent with the requirements of subdivision 19 a of 8VAC20-81-20.

c. Paraprofessionals who are trained and supervised in accordance with the requirements of the Board of Education.

2. Each state board, agency or institution shall staff the educational program as follows:

a. A principal, supervisor, education director, or lead teacher for the educational program provided at each school or institution, except for juvenile detention homes;

b. Instructional personnel sufficient to maintain pupil-teacher ratios not to exceed the following:

(1) Emotional disability - one teacher for every eight children or one teacher and one paraprofessional for every 10 children;

(2) Hearing impairment/deaf - one teacher for every seven children with one paraprofessional for every three classroom teachers; at the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind at Staunton one teacher for every eight children or one teacher and one paraprofessional for every 10 children;

(3) Intellectual disability - one teacher and one paraprofessional for every 10 children;

(4) Visual impairment - one teacher for every seven children and one paraprofessional for every three classroom teachers;

(5) Other health impairment - one teacher for every eight children or one teacher and one paraprofessional for every 10 children;

(6) Orthopedic impairment - one teacher for every eight children or one teacher and one paraprofessional for every 10 children;

(7) Specific learning disability - one teacher for every eight children or one teacher and one paraprofessional for every 10 children;

(8) Multiple disabilities or deaf-blindness - one teacher and one paraprofessional for every six children or one teacher and two paraprofessionals for every 10 children;

(9) Autism - one teacher for every six children or one teacher and one paraprofessional for every eight children;

(10) Traumatic brain injury - students may be placed in any program, according to the student's IEP;

(11) Department of Correctional Education - no greater than an average of one teacher and one paraprofessional for every 10 children;

(12) Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center - no greater than an average of one teacher for every 10 children; and

(13) Juvenile detention homes - one teacher for every 12 beds, based on the bed capacity of the facility. If the number of students exceeds the bed capacity, then the ratio shall be one teacher for every 12 students based on the average daily attendance from the previous school year. If unusual or extenuating circumstances exist, the agency may apply to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for an exception to the ratio requirements. Such requests shall be supported by sufficient justification.

3. Each facility shall have available adequate and appropriate classroom space, a library, and instructional materials and supplies to meet the educational needs of the children.