Presentation Title Date Virginia’s ISAEP Program Individual Student Alternative Education Plan (ISAEP) Program Mike Nusbaum Office of Adult Education and Literacy Slide 1 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015 ISAEP June 30, 2015

LEGISLATION  Section of the Code of Virginia  Legislation became law July 1, 1999  Appropriation Act of the 1999 session of the General Assembly requires a report each year Slide 2 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Here is What it Says  “The Individual Student Alternative Education Plan (ISAEP) program prepares certain secondary students to take the Tests of General Educational Development (GED) while developing career and technical education skills. Section of the Code of Virginia authorizes local school boards to fulfill compulsory attendance requirements for individuals who are at least 16 years of age and enrolled in an ISAEP program that includes career guidance counseling, GED preparation, counseling on the economic impact of not completing high school, and procedures for reenrollment.” Slide 3 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Compulsory Attendance  Compulsory attendance requires every parent or guardian of any child between the age of 5-18, to ensure the child’s attendance at public, private, denominational/parochial school, to have the child taught by a qualified and approved tutor, or to provide approved home school instruction. Slide 4 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Exemptions for Age Requirement to Take the GED® Test  Student is home schooled via a school division home- schooling plan  Student is released from compulsory attendance requirements  Student is in an adult correctional facility  Student has been expelled from school  Student is court ordered to take the GED® test  Student is in an alternative education environment Slide 5 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

ISAEP in inVirginia Slide 6

Program Goals  Get the student back into school  Prepare the student for successful completion of the GED® test, while providing vocational and career skills to allow for successful transition into the work force or higher education Slide 7 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Enrollment Requirements  Career guidance counseling  Mandatory enrollment in a GED® preparation program or other alternative education program approved by the local school board  Counseling on economic impact of failing to complete high school  Provisions for reenrollment in school Slide 8 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Program Requirements  No candidate for ISAEP may be less than 16 years of age.  Each ISAEP student spends a minimum of 15 hours per week on academic content designed to prepare the student for the GED® test.  Each ISAEP student spends a minimum of 10 hours per week on work-based or career transition education. Slide 9 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Program Requirements (continued)  An ISAEP student must be at least one full year behind in credits compared to his or her ninth grade cohort or over-age and not yet reached the ninth grade.  An ISAEP student must be capable of passing the General Educational Development (GED®) test. Slide 10 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Program Requirements (continued)  Each ISAEP student will have an individual educational plan prescribed by the school division and signed by the student’s parent or guardian.  To be placed in the ISAEP program, a student must score 125 or higher on each of the My GED practice tests and achieve a grade level score of 7.5 or higher on a standardized reading test. Slide 11 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Program Requirements (Continued)  ISAEP students must score 150 or higher on each of the GED® practice tests prior to taking the My GED™ practice tests.  Enrollment in ISAEP is voluntary. Students may not be placed in the program without the written agreement of the parent or guardian and the student on the student’s educational plan. Slide 12 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Program Requirements (continued) Slide 13 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015  Appropriate accommodations are provided for students with documented disabilities. These students may continue to receive services while participating in the ISAEP program.  Content taught in the ISAEP program is exclusively on the high school level.  ISAEP teachers are licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Remember …. Slide 14 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015  An ISAEP student is still enrolled in public school and is still bound by the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth. These includes, but are not limited to, attendance, discipline, special education services, 504 plans, and confidentiality policies.  A student is an enrolled ISAEP student or not. There are no “pre-ISAEP” students.

The Expelled or Long-Term Suspended Student  Expelled or long-term suspended students may not participate in ISAEP unless specific exemptions have been approved by the School Board. Slide 15 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Completion  Completion is achieved only when both components of the ISAEP are met:  Passing the GED® test  Completion of all vocational goals Slide 16 VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015

Topics for Discussion  “ Pre-GED® programs”  The 2014 GED® test  Home schooled  Economics and Personal Finance  Commonwealth Challenge  Changes to the General Achievement Diploma Program VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015 Slide 17

Questions ? VASSP Summer Conference June , 2015 Slide 18