SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1998 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 62
Continuing the Joint Subcommittee Studying Remedial Summer School Programs as the Joint Subcommittee on Remediation to examine and evaluate the system of remediation in the public schools.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 12, 1998
Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 1998

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee Studying Remedial Summer School Programs was established in 1995, pursuant to House Joint Resolution No. 529, to study the status and needs of the remedial summer school program; and

WHEREAS, the joint subcommittee's study was continued under House Joint Resolution No. 84 (1996), to provide for a comprehensive examination of the system of remediation, including the process of remediating students, administration and organization of the system, the curriculum, funding, and a review of the academic performance of students who are identified for remediation; and

WHEREAS, the joint subcommittee has found that the numbers of children who are educationally at-risk have increased significantly in Virginia due to societal changes and socioeconomic and cultural deprivations; and

WHEREAS, the number of children requiring remediation is expected to increase substantially due to the rigor of the requirements of the revised Standards of Learning (SOLs), the new Standards of Accreditation (SOAs), and the implementation of new statewide student assessments to measure student mastery of the Standards of Learning and to provide accountability; and

WHEREAS, today many of the students in the Commonwealth's public schools who have limited English proficiency enter the public school for the first time as teens, never having attended school in their native land; and

WHEREAS, as a result these students are illiterate in their own language, are often unable to converse in English, and they may be unable to meet the requirements of the new Standards of Accreditation; and

WHEREAS, although new legislation has been enacted over the past few years to strengthen remedial programs and to require the attendance of students with poor academic performance, remediation is often deferred until later in the school year or in the summer, further exacerbating the student's progress; and

WHEREAS, because remedial summer school programs are optional in Virginia and not all school divisions offer such programs, there is considerable inconsistency among local programs, which affects the quality and availability of the programs; and

WHEREAS, because there is no requirement at the state level for the evaluation of remedial programs and virtually no follow-up by school divisions of students who attend remedial programs, the effectiveness of the remediation of students cannot be verified; and

WHEREAS, lack of transportation and consistency, and inadequate funding are barriers to quality remedial summer school programs, to the ability to serve eligible students in many school divisions, and to the implementation of innovative alternatives for remediation throughout the school year; and

WHEREAS, because remediation takes place in many forms, and students may have demonstrated from minor to very severe academic problems, all students who have academic deficiencies do not need to participate in formal remediation programs; and

WHEREAS, flexibility in remediation programs is necessary so that the instructional staff may fashion appropriate educational alternatives to meet the specific academic needs of individual students; and

WHEREAS, ensuring the availability and flexibility of and access to quality remediation programs throughout the school year and during the summer is critical, in view of the anticipated numbers of students who will be unable to meet the new SOLs and SOAs and to pass the required end of course tests; and

WHEREAS, the joint subcommittee's preliminary findings, and the increasing importance and emphasis on the need for quality remedial programs, particularly given the potential impact of the new SOLs, SOAs, and statewide assessments on school divisions and student achievement, reveal the need for further study before appropriate recommendations can be offered to improve the system of remediation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Subcommittee Studying Remedial Summer School Programs be continued as the Joint Subcommittee on Remediation to examine and evaluate the system of remediation in the public schools. The total membership of the joint subcommittee shall be 12 members and shall include 3 new members as provided for in this resolution. The members duly appointed pursuant to HJR No. 84 (1996) shall continue to serve. Any vacancies shall be filled as provided in the enabling resolution, except that appointments of the members of the House of Delegates to fill vacancies shall also be in accordance with the principles of Rule 16 of the House Rules. The three additional members of the joint subcommittee shall be appointed as follows: one member of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House in accordance with the principles of Rule 16 of the House Rules; one member of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections; and one citizen member to be appointed by the Speaker of the House.

The joint subcommittee shall (i) continue its examination of the issues and objectives enumerated in HJR No. 529 (1995) and HJR No. 84 (1996); (ii) assess the potential impact of the SOLs, SOAs, and statewide student assessments on the need for remedial programs; (iii) evaluate the effectiveness of existing remedial programs; (iv) review all statutory and regulatory requirements and any legislation carried over to the 1999 Session pertaining to the remediation of students in grades K through 12 vis-a-vis the joint subcommittee's findings and best educational practices; (v) recommend appropriate and feasible alternatives to facilitate the early identification of students educationally at-risk and the delivery of remedial programs throughout the school year; and (vi) consider other issues related to its charge which it may deem necessary.

Staffing shall continue to be provided by the Division of Legislative Services.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the joint subcommittee, upon request.

The direct costs of this study shall not exceed $9,500.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1999 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.