Additional Instructional Delivery Option

Virtual Courses

Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, students entering Grade 9 are required by the Code of Virginia to successfully complete one virtual course. The course may be a non-credit- bearing course, including but not limited to make-up or strengthening course.

Students have opportunities to take courses virtually through outside vendors. It is important to note that students should not enroll in any course without speaking with their school counselor. Failure to do so may result in no high school credit being earned for completion of the course. Policy Implementation Procedure I-7.2.8 PIP 2 Virtual Learning Delivery/Options dictates:

Criteria for Approval of Virtual Courses

Any virtual course used to meet graduation requirements or that will be counted in the calculation of grade point average must either:

  1. Be listed as a course offered in a virtual environment by Arlington Public Schools in the Program of Studies, or
  2. If not offered by Arlington Public Schools (or the student is unable to take the Arlington Public Schools course for reasons approved and verified by the school the student is attending), the course must be:
    1. Pre-approved by the Superintendent’s designee.
    2. Offered by an accredited institution or offered by a provider which meets the Virginia Department of Education criteria for approved providers.
    3. Aligned with the appropriate Virginia Standards of Learning, where applicable; and
    4. Of an appropriate grade and content level comparable in level of rigor with any corresponding Arlington Public Schools courses, accessible for all learners, and
    5. Meet best practices for instructional design as outlined by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL).

Course options should be discussed by the student and the parent/guardian with the school counselor. School counselors must submit a request on behalf of a student for pre-approval per School Board Policy I-7.2.8 Instructional Delivery Options.

*Successful completion of a high school credit bearing course in middle school delivered through Virtual@APS may be used to fulfill the graduation requirement. Please see your counselor for more information.

Please see course descriptions in appropriate content area section of this document.

Additional information regarding Virtual@APS is available at https://www.apsva.us/virtual-instruction/