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.
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.