Ways to Earn Credit
Traditional Classroom
The vast majority of students experience Prince William County Public Schools through the traditional classroom environment where face-to-face collaboration leads to a deep construction of knowledge with our excellent teaching staff. The classroom environment provides the greatest potential for student interaction. It also creates the opportunity to form lifelong friendships with their classmates over an entire school year.
Virtual Courses
Virtual courses provide students with greater flexibility regarding the time, pace, path, and place of their learning. Virtual courses are facilitated by teachers that leverage digital technologies as part of instructional design to help students build understanding and apply their learning in meaningful ways. Virtual courses use a learning management system (LMS) and a variety of digital tools and practices, including instructional content, rich-media, interactions (discussion boards, messaging, video communication, etc.), data and assessment systems, and feedback systems to receive timely and rich data used to guide learning tailored to individual student needs.
Virtual Prince William
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is a pioneer in online learning through our Virtual Prince William (VPW) program. VPW provides an online learning experience, with accelerated (semester-paced) courses taught by highly skilled and certified PWCS teachers. Virtual Prince William offers students the opportunity to take courses online for the completion of graduation requirements, to recover credits, and to balance academic and extracurricular opportunities. These courses are delivered via Canvas, PWCS' learning management system, and coursework is completed outside school hours. Students and teachers communicate within the learning management system and via PWCS Office 365 email accounts.
VPW courses are both asynchronous and synchronous. Students are expected to be able to work independently and collaborate with their teachers and peers. Asynchronous instruction is designed for students to complete course work independently at a designated pace. While students have some flexibility to choose when they complete asynchronous tasks, they must adhere to course pacing and due dates.
Courses offered in any given school year are dependent on student enrollment and the availability of qualified and appropriately endorsed instructional staff. Students interested in VPW course options should see their school counselor or contact Virtual Prince William.
For additional information, please visit the Virtual Prince William website.
Virtual Virginia
Virtual Virginia, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education, provides online courses to students across the commonwealth. Students have the opportunity to enroll in courses outside of their regular school day or take advantage of courses that are not currently available in their school.
Virtual Virginia courses utilize both asynchronous and synchronous approaches to instruction, through which students will work independently and collaborate with their teachers and peers. Asynchronous instruction is designed for students to complete course work independently at a designated pace. Examples of asynchronous instruction may include reading content, viewing media, completing assignments, taking a quiz/assessment, or working on a project. Students have flexibility to choose when they complete asynchronous tasks, but they must adhere to the course pacing and due dates.
An essential component of Virtual Virginia instruction is regular interaction between teachers and their students, including email and phone communications and synchronous instructional sessions via video web conferencing. Students can attend daily synchronous instructional sessions led by their teacher. Students will also have the opportunity for daily group and 1:1 instruction.
Virtual Virginia courses meet or exceed rigorous curriculum standards, including the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) and the College Board Audit Certification for Advanced Placement (AP) courses. All Virtual Virginia courses are staffed by highly qualified Virginia, licensed instructors with virtual office hours posted within the courses. These virtual office hours provide ample opportunities for students to contact their instructor(s) via telephone, using email, or communicating through a live web-based conferencing tool. In addition to the local mentor, students may access the services of the Virtual Virginia Help Desk for technical issues.
While some courses require tuition, any students participating in the Early College Scholars program may have their AP course tuition covered by the Virginia Department of Education. Students who plan to take the AP exam are required to pay the AP exam fee.
To learn more about Virtual Virginia opportunities, please visit your school counselor.
Evening School
A limited number of core and elective courses are available in the evenings during the fall and spring semesters. These are courses required for graduation. Course availability is subject to sufficient course requests. Courses are typically 15 weeks in length and taught by certified content teachers. In-person attendance is mandatory. See your school counselor for a registration form and further information about the Evening School program.
Summer Programs
PWCS also offers select courses over the summer. Students may retake coursework if they failed the course in order to receive a passing grade. All students taking a summer school course that requires an end-of-course SOL test, must take the SOL test scheduled during summer school, unless the student has already passed the test.
Alternative Methods for Granting Standard Units of Credit
In some instances, currently enrolled students find it necessary to look for other options to earn a standard unit of credit. Students seeking to earn high school credits from educational institutions outside Prince William County Public Schools or the Virtual Virginia program must request permission to take the course. Credit will only be awarded for the course if permission is granted by the Student Learning Department prior to course enrollment. See your school counselor for more information about alternative options for earning standard units of credit.
Regional Advanced Academic Schools
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology - Virginia Regional Academic-Year Governor's School
The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology accepts Prince William County Public Schools' students into its four-year program through an application and testing process. Interested students should ask a designated middle school counselor for an information packet. Students must complete Algebra 1 by the end of eighth grade, achieve a 3.5 GPA, be enrolled in extended level math and English classes to apply to Thomas Jefferson. Additional information is available through the Thomas Jefferson Admissions Office at 571-423-3770 or on the TJHS Admission webpage.
The Governor's School @ Innovation Park - Virginia Regional Academic-Year Governor's School
The Governor's School @ Innovation Park is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiative of three school divisions, Prince William County, Manassas City, and Manassas Park, in collaboration with George Mason University. The instructional design of the program integrates strands in biology, chemistry, and physics with mathematics, concepts of engineering and technology, and with laboratory research. Learning experiences focus on real-world research with mentorship opportunities in business, industry, government, and university settings. Rising juniors are eligible to apply for the program. Interested students can access the application online on The Governor's School website. Students must have completed Algebra 2/Trigonometry and both Biology 1 and Chemistry 1 by the end of the 10th grade to apply and enter the Biology, Chemistry, or Physics threads. Students must have additionally completed Pre-Calculus and Physics in order to be qualified to enter the Engineering thread.
Nontraditional Education
Independence Nontraditional School
Independence Nontraditional School offers students in grades K-12 a comprehensive instructional program that merges leadership, career, and social skills necessary for success in the 21st century with existing Prince William County Public Schools curricula. Students can expect a rigorous curriculum which promotes the development of academic resilience, social responsibility, and self-respect. The innovative education environment provides flexible learning opportunities to support student success. Day and evening programs are offered. Age-appropriate interventions that address effective and affective development, second language acquisition, and special needs are provided in an inclusive manner.
Students are recommended for placement by school administrators, parents/guardians, or the Student Management and Alternative Programs Department. A nontraditional education plan for each student designed collaboratively by Independence Nontraditional staff, parents/guardians, and the student ensures each student meets his/her educational and graduation goals. Multiple instructional options support seamless student transitions to additional academic, extracurricular, and service-learning opportunities.
Individual Student Alternative Education Plan
The Individual Student Alternative Education Plan (ISAEP) is a program offered through the Virginia Department of Education, which provides students between the ages of 16-17 years old who are at risk of dropping out of school, an opportunity to work toward a General Educational Development (GED) certificate while developing a vocational or career skill. Students must be referred to the program by the school counseling office, with the permission of the parents/guardians, and must meet the eligibility criteria to be admitted to the program. The ISAEP will only be considered for students after all measures to maintain students in a traditional diploma program have been exhausted. Contact the school counseling office for more information regarding the program.
Adult Education
The adult education program provides educational opportunities for adults, 18 and over, who wish to acquire competencies necessary for further education, employment, or personal enrichment. Classes are provided to residents in PWCS, Manassas City and Manassas Park. Adult Education offers courses in English language acquisition, high school completion (which includes GED and the National External Diploma Program - NEDP), bridging, Microsoft Office Specialist, Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Guest Service Gold, Community Engagement, Customer Services and Sales, job readiness, and computer workshops. The Adult Learning Center is also a testing center and delivers over 140 tests through Pearson Vue.
Grade Point Average
Grade-Point Values: All courses taught for credit in Prince William County Public Schools are assigned grade-point values as follows:
Grade-Point Values
| Grade | Percentage | Point Value for Courses | Point Value for Designated Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Cambridge, and Dual Enrollment Courses |
Point Value for Designated Prerequisite Courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90-100 | 4 points | 5 points | 4.5 points |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.4 points | 4.4 points | 3.9 points |
| B | 80-86 | 3 points | 4 points | 3.5 points |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.4 points | 3.4 points | 2.9 points |
| C | 70-76 | 2 points | 3 points | 2.5 points |
| D+ | 67-69 | 1.4 points | 1.4 points | 1.4 points |
| D | 60-66 | 1 point | 1 point | 1 point |
| F | 59 and below | 0 points | 0 points | 0 points |
When students successfully complete courses identified as 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade courses prior to entering 9th grade, they will receive standard units of credit toward graduation. Such courses will be used in computing the student's high school GPA. Weighted grade points are used to encourage students to take more challenging course work with less risk to their report card grades. Students and their families should note that colleges and universities routinely remove weighted credits to better compare applicants' performance in rigorous courses across school divisions where weighting practices vary.
Omitting a Grade for a High School Credit Taken in Middle School
The Regulations Establishing Standards of Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia have provided families with the option of requesting that grades be omitted from a student's transcript for any high school credit-bearing course taken in middle school. Requests to have a high school credit-bearing course grade removed from a student's transcript must be submitted using the form available in the counseling office or on the school website to the appropriate principal before the deadlines established by the school division. Families who elect to have a grade removed from the transcript should be aware that the decision to have the grade removed is binding and that no grade or associated credit will be awarded for the course once the request has been granted.
Schedule Changes
Students are encouraged to stretch and reach to take advanced levels of course offerings when possible. Should a student request to drop an advanced course, the following steps will be taken prior to approval:
- The teacher will talk with the student to determine why they wish to drop the course and ways in which a student may improve their performance in the class.
- The teacher will notify the parent(s) of the request to drop the course and discuss ways in which the student may improve their performance.
- The student's counselor will work with the student to identify supports that could be put into place (i.e. tutoring during flex, tutoring before/after school, etc.).
- The principal or designee will approve or deny the request.
Each high school sets their own schoolwide schedule change procedures and guidelines. Students must comply with the schedule change process established at their school. Should a student elect to change a class, the following rules will apply:
- Students who drop a year-long course before the end of the first quarter or before the end of the first four weeks for a semester-based course, shall not have the attempt recorded on their transcript.
- Students who drop a year-long course after the end of the first quarter or after the end of the first four weeks for semester-based course, shall receive no credit and a notation shall be made on the student's transcript indicating withdraw failing or withdraw passing.
- Students who drop a year-long course after the end of the first semester or after the end of the first quarter for semester-based courses, shall receive no credit and a failing grade for the course.
- The principal (or designee) may, in extenuating circumstances relating to a student's health or well-being, make an exception to the regulation governing the procedures for dropping a course.
- If a student moves from one level to another level of the same course, the grades earned in the initial course will transfer to the second course. This rule applies even in those cases where the student is moving from an advanced level course to a lower-level course within the same subject (e.g., Advanced English 9 to English 9).