Academic Planning for Military Families
Gifted Education
In PWCS, students are found eligible for gifted services in Specific Intellectual Aptitude (Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and/or History and Social Sciences). The identification and placement process in PWCS uses multiple criteria. View the Gifted Education Identification Process webpage for detailed information.
Educational Program Placement
The Interstate Compact addresses educational program placement for military students. Per the Interstate Compact, the receiving state shall initially honor placement of the student in educational programs based on current educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state or participation/placement in like programs in the sending state. Such programs include but are not limited to:
- Gifted and talented programs; and
- English as a second language.
Home Instruction
Some military families may choose homeschooling as a choice of instruction. Visit the Home Instruction webpage for general information and requirements. Additional guidance is available in the Home Instruction Handbook from the Virginia Department of Education.
Advanced Academics and Specialty Programs
PWCS provides a wide range of opportunities for its students at the high school, middle school, and elementary school level. To explore what each specialty program has to offer, visit the PWCS Advanced Academics & Specialty Programs webpage. Details regarding Specialty Programs can be found in Regulation 630-1.
Career and Technical Education
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) offers a wide variety of rigorous and engaging Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs designed to improve academic and technical understanding, offer leadership opportunities, and deliver instruction through realistic, hands-on applications. CTE instruction demonstrates the relevance and purpose in learning as students prepare for post-secondary experiences, whether they plan to enter the workforce directly, seek additional training, or enroll in a post-secondary institution. Please use the left column to learn about middle and high school CTE programs, certification and industry credentialing, and additional information about CTE education.
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Prince William County Public Schools offers Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) programs for the Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy at nine high schools. Students who wish to participate in JROTC shall enroll in their base school or in the program to which their school is assigned. Students are encouraged to enter the program in the ninth grade in order to receive the full benefits of the four-year program. Applications are available at the program locations.
Graduation Requirements
The Virginia Board of Education sets forth graduation requirements and diploma options for students based upon the year a student enters ninth grade for the first time. In accordance with School Board Policy 662, "Graduation Requirements," PWCS shall follow the rules and regulations stipulated for graduation. Students who satisfy all the requirements specified for their diploma option will be deemed graduates of PWCS and shall be eligible to earn their diploma. View the Graduation Requirements webpage for additional information on each diploma option.
Transfers During Senior Year
In some cases, military students may experience a school transition during their senior year possibly impacting their eligibility for graduation. The following guidance is provided in the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children:
Transfers during senior year: Should a military student transferring in his or her senior year be ineligible to graduate from the receiving local education agency after all alternatives have been considered, the sending local education agency, with the cooperation of the receiving local education agency, shall ensure the receipt of a diploma from the sending local education agency, if the student meets the graduation requirements of the sending local education agency. In the event that one of the states in question is not a member of this compact, the member state shall use best efforts to facilitate the on-time graduation of the student in accordance with subsections A and B of this Article.
Below are additional resources on facilitating on-time graduation for military transfer students.