Public Comments for: HB1009 - High school graduation requirements; satisfaction of certain course credits.
Last Name: OK Organization: all students and teachers Locality: Glen Allen

I support high expectations in all classrooms and for all students. I believe students are capable of achieving their goals with hardworking and support from home and the school. It has been upsetting and heartbreaking to hear and see certain school lower the bar for some schools and students. I refused to settle when it came to my students because I knew they were able to follow the rules, complete the courses, and rise to the occasion. Democrats need to stop lowering the expectations and standards. This is one of the reasons public schools are not successful. I have seen it over and over.

Last Name: Baxter Locality: Richmond

This bill has my full support. We are seeing the results of "dumbed down" educational standards in the workforce and in colleges nationwide. Why on earth would we continue to lower the standards? If we expect America's workforce to be competitive, we cannot sacrifice educational rigor.

Last Name: Laws Organization: Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts Education Locality: Norfolk

The Virginia Coalition for Fine Arts Education (VCFAE) is concerned about the number of bills (HB 1345, HB 1009/SB 199, SB 161, SB 139, SB 380, HB 1051/SB 563) that propose to change graduation requirements and substitute workforce credentials or “alternative educational opportunities” for lab science, world language, electives and in one case, a pathway which substitutes advanced coursework in world language for workforce credentials. Despite SB 161, SB 139, and SB 380 having been passed by indefinitely, the essential concern remains. It appears, looking at these bills as a whole, that their patrons are attempting to give students additional options and pathways to complete high school coursework as college and/or career ready citizens, something that, in general, the VCFAE certainly supports. If this is the intent, then the VCFAE requests that, instead of doing this legislation in a piecemeal way, the General Assembly ask that the VA Board of Education initiate a study and report on multiple pathways and course substitutions. This study would allow a look at graduation requirements as a whole and permit public input through the usual processes. Approaching these graduation requirement exceptions in legislation that does not look at the overall context is likely to cause unintended consequences and narrow choice in other areas. Additionally, as part of that study we would urge consideration of a pathway or pathways and a diploma seal for advanced coursework in the fine arts.

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