Virginia SB 427: High school graduation requirements; history and social studies credits.

Bill Text

2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26100585D

SENATE BILL NO. 427

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 13, 2026

A BILL to amend and reenact § 22.1-253.13:4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to high school graduation requirements; history and social studies credits; certain substitutions permitted.

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Patron—Bagby

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Referred to Committee on Education and Health

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 22.1-253.13:4 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-253.13:4. Standard 4. Student achievement and graduation requirements.

A. Each local school board shall award diplomas to all secondary school students, including students who transfer from nonpublic schools or from home instruction, who meet the requirements prescribed by the Board and meet such other requirements as may be prescribed by the local school board and approved by the Board. Provisions shall be made to facilitate the transfer and appropriate grade placement of students from other public secondary schools, from nonpublic schools, or from home instruction as outlined in the standards for accreditation. The standards for accreditation shall include provisions relating to the completion of graduation requirements through Virtual Virginia. Further, reasonable accommodation to meet the requirements for diplomas shall be provided for otherwise qualified students with disabilities as needed.

In addition, each local school board may devise, vis-a-vis the award of diplomas to secondary school students, a mechanism for calculating class rankings that takes into consideration whether the student has taken a required class more than one time and has had any prior earned grade for such required class expunged.

Each local school board shall notify the parents of rising eleventh and twelfth grade students of (i) the requirements for graduation pursuant to the standards for accreditation and (ii) the requirements that have yet to be completed by the individual student.

B. Students identified as disabled who:

1. Complete alternative requirements, in the form of credit accommodations specified in their individualized education programs, to earn required standard and verified credits shall be awarded standard diplomas by local school boards. Such credit accommodations may include (i) approval of alternative courses to meet standard credit requirements, (ii) modifications to the requirements for local school divisions to award locally awarded verified credits, (iii) approval of additional tests to earn verified credits, (iv) adjusted cut scores required to earn verified credits, (v) allowance of work-based learning experiences, and (vi) special permission credit accommodations for locally awarded verified credits; and

2. Complete the requirements of their individualized education programs and meet certain requirements prescribed by the Board pursuant to regulations but do not meet the requirements for any named diploma shall be awarded Applied Studies diplomas by local school boards. The Board shall develop and implement statewide requirements for earning an Applied Studies diploma for implementation at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year.

The Department shall develop guidance, in multiple languages, for students and parents (i) informing them of the alternative path to earn a standard diploma through credit accommodations, including special permission credit accommodations for locally awarded verified credits; (ii) conveying (a) the limitations of the applied studies diploma, (b) key curriculum and testing decisions that reduce the likelihood that a student will be able to obtain a standard diploma, and (c) a statement that the pursuit of an applied studies diploma may preclude a student's ability to pursue a standard diploma; and (iii) supporting them to discuss these diploma options at the student's individualized education program meetings.

Each local school board shall develop a process for awarding locally verified credits to students with disabilities, require individualized education program teams to consider credit accommodations, including locally awarded verified credits, for students with disabilities to enable them to earn a standard diploma, and provide guidance from the Department to parents of students with disabilities regarding the availability of credit accommodations to earn a standard diploma and the limitations of the Applied Studies diploma at a student's annual individualized education program meeting corresponding to grades three through 12 when curriculum or statewide assessment decisions are being made that impact the type of diploma for which the student can qualify.

Each local school board shall notify the parent of such students with disabilities who have an individualized education program and who fail to meet the graduation requirements of the student's right to a free and appropriate education to age 21, inclusive, pursuant to Article 2 (§ 22.1-213 et