Section 427: General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)

Wise County Public Schools Regional Adult & Career Education Program

Policy:  The Wise County School Board is committed to nondiscrimination with regard to sex, gender, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, ancestry, age, marital status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. This commitment will prevail in all of its policies and practices concerning staff, students, educational programs and services, and individuals and entities with whom the Board does business. Adopted: September 10, 2013

The Regional Adult & Career Education Program adheres to the policies of Wise County Public Schools including those that ensure equitable access to and participation in services provided with federal and state funding.

The processes followed by the program to identify, address and eliminate barriers to those with special needs include but are not limited to the following examples:

• • • Program outreach is provided in multiple modes to attract, retain and benefit a diverse student population, including social media and online distribution, printed flyers at social service agencies and churches, bi-lingual class information and a translation feature on the program website and Facebook page to assist the non-English speaker.
    • Program information for services is posted on the Internet to enable assistive computer devices to interpret the materials for users.
    • Online resources are available to all potential users in the classroom through the provision of usable workstations, to the greatest extent possible.
    • Individuals are introduced to quality childcare options through program collaboration with local HeadStart and Departments of Social Services agencies.
    • The program works to recruit and employ individuals from social and ethnic minority groups, multi-lingual individuals, and individuals with disabilities and special needs, to the greatest extent possible.
    • Program activities are held in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible and compliant facilities with attention to the dignity of all learners including those who have dropped out of school due to bullying.
    • Annual professional development activities address cultural sensitivity and ADA training for program staff.
    • Key partnerships with assistive agencies such as the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, Frontier Health, the Appalachian Community Action Agency, local Departments of Social Services, WIOA partners and providers, and others provide a variety of services for reentry adults, students with disabilities and others with special needs.

The program website (www.myrace1.org) lists these processes and directs complaints of alleged discrimination be referred to the administration at contact@myrace1.org in support of the goal of the program to create a community of learning where people of different cultures, intellectual positions and lifestyles can reach their full potential.