News in Brief: A State Capitals Roundup

The Virginia state school board voted last week to give students the option of substituting national exams for state tests in meeting new high school graduation requirements slated for enforcement starting in 2004.

The new rules allow students to pass either the state's Standards of Learning exams or one of several alternatives—including those from the Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and SAT subject-matter programs.

High school students will be required to pass the state's English tests, but the state will accept results for other exams in mathematics, social studies, and science. They will need to pass six tests to earn a standard diploma and nine exams...