§ 942. Definitions

As used in this title:

(1) “Accredited postsecondary institution” means a postsecondary institution that has been accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges or another regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

(2) “Approved provider” means an entity approved by the Secretary to provide educational services that may be awarded credits or used to determine proficiency necessary for a high school diploma.

(3) “Blended learning” means a formal education program in which content and instruction are delivered both in a traditional classroom setting and through virtual learning.

(4) “Career development” means the identification of student interests and aptitudes and the ability to link these to potential career paths and the training and education necessary to succeed on these paths.

(5) “Carnegie unit” means 125 hours of class or contact time with a teacher over the course of one year at the secondary level.

(6) “Local adult education and literacy provider” means an entity that is awarded federal or State grant funds to conduct adult education and literacy activities.

(7) “Dual enrollment” means enrollment by a secondary student in a course offered by an accredited postsecondary institution and for which, upon successful completion of the course, the student will receive:

(A) secondary credit toward graduation from the secondary school in which the student is enrolled; and

(B) postsecondary credit from the institution that offered the course if the course is a credit-bearing course at that institution.

(8) “Early college” means full-time enrollment, pursuant to subsection 4011(e) of this title, by a 12th grade Vermont student for one academic year in a program offered by a postsecondary institution in which the credits earned apply to secondary school graduation requirements.

(9) “Flexible pathways to graduation” means any combination of high-quality academic and experiential components leading to secondary school completion and postsecondary readiness, which may include assessments that allow the student to apply his or her knowledge and skills to tasks that are of interest to that student.

(10) “Personalized learning plan” and “PLP” mean documentation of an evolving plan developed on behalf of a student in an ongoing process involving a secondary student, a representative of the school, and, if the student is a minor, the student’s parents or legal guardian and updated at least annually by November 30; provided, however, that a home study student and the student’s parent or guardian shall be solely responsible for developing a plan. The plan shall be developmentally appropriate and shall reflect the student’s emerging abilities, aptitude, and disposition. The plan shall define the scope and rigor of academic and experiential opportunities necessary for a secondary student to complete secondary school successfully, attain postsecondary readiness, and be prepared to engage actively in civic life. While often less formalized, personalized learning and personalized instructional approaches are critical to students in kindergarten through grade 6 as well.

(11) “Postsecondary planning” means the identification of education and training programs after high school that meet a student’s academic, vocational, financial, and social needs and the identification of financial assistance available for those programs.

(12) “Postsecondary readiness” means the ability to enter the workforce or to pursue postsecondary education or training without the need for remediation.

(13) “Virtual learning” means learning in which the teacher and student communicate concurrently through real-time telecommunication. “Virtual learning” also means online learning in which communication between the teacher and student does not occur concurrently and the student works according to his or her own schedule. (Added 2013, No. 77, § 1; amended 2017, No. 49, § 38, eff. May 23, 2017.)