January 11, 2007

INFORMATIONAL

TO:

Division Superintendents

FROM:

Billy K. Cannaday, Jr.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:

Reimbursement for Industry Certification Examinations, Licensure Tests, and Occupational Competency Assessments Taken by Students During June 2006 and School Year 2006-2007

The Virginia Department of Education is pleased to announce state funding for student credentialing appropriated by the 2006 General Assembly. Division allocations for reimbursement are by funding formula (Attachment A). The initial allocation is $4.41 per student enrolled in career and technical education classes eligible for industry certification examinations, licensure tests, and occupational competency assessments (NOCTI). This figure may vary from year to year.

USE OF FUNDS

School divisions will have two opportunities during the remainder of fiscal year 2007 to decline the allocated funds. School divisions must reply no later than January 31, 2007, if they will not be utilizing fiscal year 2007 funds for industry certification testing at all. The second opportunity to decline funds will be no later than June 7, 2007, when the Department of Education will reclaim any unused testing funds. Funds declined at both of these times will be reallocated to divisions on a prorated basis for approved division credentialing reimbursements above the initial allocation. Attached are certification forms for the superintendents signature declining the monies at each of these designated dates (Attachment B).

The student credentialing reimbursement is restricted to those industry certification examinations, licensure tests, or occupational competency assessments that have been approved by the Board of Education for the student-selected verified credit option. A list of Board-approved assessments may be found at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/CTE/memos/seals/certifications.doc. Reimbursement cannot be made with these funds if Perkins funds have already been used as payment for costs associated with a specific credential. Reimbursement may be requested if students have personally paid for industry certification examinations, licensure tests, or occupational competency assessments, and the educational entity has reimbursed the student for such costs.

REIMBURSEMENT OF FUNDS

Reimbursement data should be submitted to the department no later than January 31, 2007, for student credentialing tests that were taken between June 1 and June 30, 2006. These expenditures must cover examinations and assessments that were taken by students no later than June 30, 2006.

Student credentialing reimbursement data for the school year 2006-2007 must be submitted (Attachment C) no later than June 7, 2007. These expenditures must cover examinations and assessments that were taken by students during the 2006-2007 school year, but not later than May 31, 2007. Documentation of any reimbursement claims must be retained in the school division and must be available for audit in accordance with state law governing the retention of financial records. For information about a specific industry certification or any related reimbursement issue, contact Specialist for Industry Certification, Gordon Creasy via e-mail at Gordon.Creasy@doe.virginia.gov or telephone at (804) 225-2057.

BKS/EMR/sgj

Attachments

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2007/inf011a.pdf

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2007/inf011b.doc

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2007/inf011c.doc