Outline of the state of Virginia
State
Virginia
Required

Category
Policies or Plans to Encourage Community Involvement

Category
Policies or Plans to Encourage Community Involvement

State law requires districts to adopt community involvement plans or policies.

Code of Virginia § 22.1-253.13:6. Standard 6. Planning and public involvement

B. Each local school board shall adopt a divisionwide comprehensive, unified, long-range plan based on data collection, an analysis of the data, and how the data will be utilized to improve classroom instruction and student achievement. The plan shall be developed with staff and community involvement and shall include, or be consistent with, all other divisionwide plans required by state and federal laws and regulations. Each local school board shall review the plan biennially and adopt any necessary revisions. Prior to the adoption of any divisionwide comprehensive plan or revisions thereto, each local school board shall post such plan or revisions on the division's Internet website if practicable, and, in any case, shall make a hard copy of the plan or revisions available for public inspection and copying and shall conduct at least one public hearing to solicit public comment on the divisionwide plan or revisions.

The divisionwide comprehensive plan shall include, but shall not be limited to, (i) the objectives of the school division, including strategies for first improving student achievement, particularly the achievement of educationally at-risk students, then maintaining high levels of student achievement; (ii) an assessment of the extent to which these objectives are being achieved; (iii) a forecast of enrollment changes; (iv) a plan for projecting and managing enrollment changes including consideration of the consolidation of schools to provide for a more comprehensive and effective delivery of instructional services to students and economies in school operations; (v) an evaluation of the appropriateness of establishing regional programs and services in cooperation with neighboring school divisions; (vi) a plan for implementing such regional programs and services when appropriate; (vii) a technology plan designed to integrate educational technology into the instructional programs of the school division, including the school division's career and technical education programs, consistent with, or as a part of, the comprehensive technology plan for Virginia adopted by the Board of Education; (viii) an assessment of the needs of the school division and evidence of community participation, including parental participation, in the development of the plan; (ix) any corrective action plan required pursuant to § 22.1-253.13:3; and (x) a plan for parent and family involvement to include building successful school and parent partnerships that shall be developed with staff and community involvement, including participation by parents.

Policy Type
Statute

Code of Virginia § 22.1-253.13:7. Standard 7. School board policies.

A. Each local school board shall develop policies and procedures to address complaints of sexual abuse of a student by a teacher or other school board employee.

B. Each local school board shall maintain and follow up-to-date policies. All school board policies shall be reviewed at least every five years and revised as needed.

C. Each local school board shall ensure that policies are developed giving consideration to the views of teachers, parents, and other concerned citizens and addressing the following:

    1. A system of two-way communication between employees and the local school board and its administrative staff whereby matters of concern can be discussed in an orderly and constructive manner;
    1. The selection and evaluation of all instructional materials purchased by the school division, with clear procedures for handling challenged controversial materials;
    1. The Standard of student conduct and attendance and enforcement procedures designed to provide that public education be conducted in an atmosphere free of disruption and threat to persons or property and supportive of individual rights;
    1. School-community communications and community involvement;
Policy Type
Statute

Code of Virginia § 22.1-279.3. Parental responsibility and involvement requirements

A. Each parent of a student enrolled in a public school has a duty to assist the school in enforcing the Standard of student conduct and compulsory school attendance in order that education may be conducted in an atmosphere free of disruption and threat to persons or property, and supportive of individual rights.

B. A school board shall provide opportunities for parental and community involvement in every school in the school division.

Policy Type
Statute

Virginia Administrative Code 8 VAC20-131-210. Role of the Principal.

B. As the instructional leader, the principal is responsible for ensuring that students are provided an opportunity to learn and shall:

    1. Involve students, staff, parents, and the community to create and sustain a positive, safe, and healthy learning environment that enforces state, division, and local rules, policies, and procedures and consistently model and collaboratively promote high expectations, mutual respect, care, and concern for students, staff, parents, and the community;
    1. Involve students, families, staff, and other stakeholders to promote community engagement;

C. As the school manager, the principal shall: 6. Work with the community to involve parents and citizens in the educational program;

Policy Type
Regulation

Virginia Administrative Code 8 VAC20-131-270. School and Community Communications.

A. Each school shall promote communication and foster mutual understanding with parents and the community. Each school shall:

    1. Involve parents, citizens, community agencies, and representatives from business and industry in developing, disseminating, and explaining the biennial school plan; on advisory committees; in curriculum studies; and in evaluating the educational program.
Policy Type
Regulation

Virginia School Health Guidelines

This document encourages districts to develop formal plans or policies to encourage community involvement in schools.

Policy Type
Non-codified