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For Immediate Release
Virginia Board of Education Awards IC³ Certification Verified Credit Status
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (August 20, 2003) —The Virginia Board of Education has announced
the Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC³), the globally recognized standard for digital literacy,
as verified credit for high school graduation. The department of education recently prepared teachers for
implementation of their new IT Fundamentals course at the CTE Professional Development Institute. IC³
certification maps directly to the new IT Fundamentals course.
“Virginia is delighted to provide opportunities for students to receive globally recognized industry
certifications that meet the student-verified credit requirements for high school graduation,” says Bob
Almond, Director of Career and Technical Education. “We believe that industry certifications such as IC³
are a clear way to validate what is being taught in our classrooms across the state.”
Recognizing the position of IC³ as the first aligned certification with the National Education
Technology Standards (NETS) established through the International Society for Technology in Education
(ISTE), and the industry-wide support and recognition by the National Skills Standard Board (NSSB), and
The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), Bob Almond added, “IC³ is an optional certification
that can be integrated into the IT Fundamentals course (for verified credit) which was developed jointly
by Business, Technology, and Trade and Industrial Education CTE areas; the fact that our students will
also be eligible to gain college credit for IC³ through the American Council on Education (ACE) is an
added bonus.”
As an approved industry certification, IC³ can be integrated into CTE programs leading to student
selected verified credit and/or the CTE diploma seal as long as the school division complies with the
required Virginia CTE minimum competencies for a course sequence. Students who complete and pass the
IC³ certification exams, but do not complete a CTE sequence of courses are still eligible for one
verified credit. When a student completes a CTE sequence of courses and passes the IC³ certification,
he/she will be eligible for two ‘verified credits’ of the six necessary to graduate.
Eighty-seven CTE educators have completed training to date as required by the Virginia Department
of Education making them eligible to teach the new IT Fundamentals course to their students this fall.
Many school systems are teaching multiple sections of the new course, which will be delivered across
the state. IC³ is one option available for verified credit out of many other courses, including
Business and IT courses, Technology Education courses, and Trade and Industrial courses as identified
in section I of The Administrative Planning Guide on the CTE website.
The integration of IC³ will also assist teachers in licensure renewal. According to the
Professional Licensure Division, the Virginia Technology Standards for Instructional Personnel (TSIP)
requirements include standards for "computer/educational technology literacy" developed by the
Department of Education. The teachers cannot get their licensure renewed without their school
division certifying their literacy. Certification is noted on a teacher’s licensure renewal.
Teachers can use the IC³ exam to partially satisfy the TSIPs.
“Virginia has long been a proactive leader in preparing their students to compete in the modern
workplace or in post secondary education. They have championed industry-recognized certifications
and we are very pleased with the award of verified credit for IC³. Approving IC³ for both students
and teachers provides a strong foundation of technology literacy across the state, and the means to
realize the benefits of their prior investments in their technology infrastructure.” says Steve
Meredith, Director of IC³ Statewide Initiatives for Certiport.
“Additionally,” says Meredith, “the global network of Certiport testing centers and our integrated
database of information will help deliver exams efficiently and benchmark the success of candidates
as they meet state requirements and become certified on the global standard for digital literacy.”
About Certiport
Certiport is the leading provider of global, performance-based certification programs and
services designed to enable individual success and lifetime advancement. Certiport is a pioneer
in performance-based testing, data management systems, and developing certification programs,
including IC³, through intensive research and professional validation processes. More information
is available at www.certiport.com.
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