Title 17 — Education
38 chapters · 393 sections in this title.
17 V.I.C. § 41 Courses of study
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(a) The Virgin Islands Board of Education, upon the recommendation of the Commissioner of Education, shall prescribe the courses of study for all public schools which shall not be less than the minimum standards set by the acknowledged accrediting groups in the United States: pro…
17 V.I.C. § 41a Bilingual and English Language Development Program
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(a) There is established in the Department of Education the Division of Bilingual and English Language Development for Children whose primary language is not English. The Division shall be headed by a director who is qualified by education, training, and experience to take respon…
17 V.I.C. § 41b Character education
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(a) For the purposes of this section “Character Education” means a structured curriculum where the children of the Virgin Islands learn about character traits, including but not limited to, commitment, cooperation, courtesy, creativity, generosity, honesty, moderation, patience, …
17 V.I.C. § 41c Worker Preparation Educational Program
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(a) This section may be cited as “The Worker Preparation Educational Program Act”. (b) As used in this section(1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Department of Education.(2) “Cooperative education” means a structured method of instruction in work-related matters, inc…
17 V.I.C. § 41d Dual Credit program authorized; definition; eligibility; costs and fees; rules; evaluation
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(a) The Department of Education and the University of the Virgin Islands are authorized to establish a Dual Credit program. As used in this section, “Dual Credit Program” means a program that allows high school students to enroll in college-level courses offered by the University…
17 V.I.C. § 41e Proficiency examinations; purpose and use
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(a) The Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with the Virgin Islands Board of Education, shall require proficiency examinations to be administered annually at the 4th, 6th, 8th and 12th grade levels. Examinations administered under this section must be drafted and graded in …
17 V.I.C. § 41f Agriculture in the Classroom Program; basic agriculture education
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(a) (1) The Department of Education is authorized and directed to establish and maintain an integrated basic agriculture education program within the current curriculum administered by qualified educators and teachers, in every public school in the Virgin Islands. The Department …
17 V.I.C. § 41g Online learning
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(a) The Board of Education shall establish a distance learning policy consistent with the requirements of this section which considers distance learning and blended courses provided through the Virgin Islands Department of Education as qualifying courses for promotion and graduat…
17 V.I.C. § 41i Emergency Medical Services Program; basic EMS education
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(a) (1) The Department of Education shall establish and maintain an integrated basic Emergency Medical Services (EMS) education program within the curriculum administered by qualified instructors and made available to every public high school student in the Virgin Islands. The De…
17 V.I.C. § 42 Free school books; responsibility for return
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(a) The Department of Education shall supply, free of charge, all text books and any form of electronic books and digital resources to be used in the public schools, as deemed appropriate by the Virgin Islands Board of Education. (b) The Commissioner of Education may require rece…
17 V.I.C. § 43 Failure to submit registers, reports, etc
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If a principal or teacher fails to submit any attendance register, record, or report required by the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner may, with the approval of the Virgin Islands Board of Education, cause the salary payments of such principal or teacher to be withheld.
17 V.I.C. § 44 Care of school buildings, equipment, supplies, etc
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(a) Principals and principal-teachers are charged with the responsibility during school hours for the proper care of buildings, equipment, supplies, and all school properties under their supervision, and they shall make appropriate rules to govern the use of such properties by te…
17 V.I.C. § 45 Use of school buildings and properties
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(a) The Commissioner of Education may, upon written request, grant permission for use of school buildings and properties under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education for civic, social, recreational and other purposes; provided, that no school building, facility, or prope…
17 V.I.C. § 46 High school equivalency program
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(1) The Commissioner of Education is hereby empowered and directed to—(1) hold free tests annually for the purpose of determining the basic knowledge of the examinees in terms of the formal education required for graduation from high school in the fundamental fields of knowledge;…
17 V.I.C. § 47 Industrial-art training in St. John—Curriculum
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The Department of Education is authorized and directed to include in the curriculum of Cruz Bay and the Benjamin Franklin Public Schools on the Island of Saint John, the teaching of Industrial Arts, including carpentry, masonry, mechanics, sheet metal, electricity and leather cra…
17 V.I.C. § 48 —Priority in industrial-art training
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(a) Within the limitations of the annual budget of the Department of Education, the Department of Education shall give priority to the teaching of carpentry, masonry, mechanics, sheet metal, electricity and leather craft, over basketry and broom-making, in conformity with standar…
17 V.I.C. § 49 —Teachers and equipment for industrial-art training in St. John
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The Department of Education is authorized to employ all such necessary instructors or teachers and to purchase such supplies and equipment as may be necessary in connection with the teaching of Industrial Arts in the Schools specified in sections 47–51 of this title.
17 V.I.C. § 50 —Rules and regulations to effectuate sections 47–51
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The Commissioner of Education is authorized to issue such rules and regulations as may be necessary and appropriate to effectuate the purposes of sections 47–51 of this title.
17 V.I.C. § 51 —Availability of funds for carrying out sections 47–51
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Funds for the purpose of carrying out section 47–51 of this title shall be made available by appropriations of the Legislature in the annual budget for the Department of Education.
17 V.I.C. § 52 Repealed. Oct. 11, 2008, No. 7026, § 2, Sess. L. 2008, p. 352
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17 V.I.C. § 52 Statutes current through Act 9046 of the 2025 session of the 36th Legislature, including all code changes through October 25, 2025 Virgin Islands Code AnnotatedCopyright © 2026 All rights reserved.
17 V.I.C. § 53 —Availability of funds for purposes of sections 52 and 53
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Funds for the purposes of sections 52 and 53 of this title shall be made available by appropriations of the Legislature in the Annual Budget for the Department of Education.
17 V.I.C. § 54 Musical bands within high schools—Instructors and equipment
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The Department of Education of the Virgin Islands is authorized and directed to establish musical bands within the public high schools in the Virgin Islands, including the employment of necessary or appropriate instructors, instruments, equipment, accessories or other facilities.
17 V.I.C. § 55 —Availability of funds for bands
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Funds for the establishment of bands in the public high schools pursuant to sections 54–56 of this title shall be made available by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands out of available revenues appropriated for the expenses of the Department of Education for any fiscal year.
17 V.I.C. § 56 —Rules and regulations to effectuate sections 54–56
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The Commissioner of Education shall be authorized to issue all rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the provisions of sections 54–56 of this title, necessary or appropriate for the effectuation of the purposes of said sections.
17 V.I.C. § 57 Alcohol Education Week—Designation
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The school week following the first Sunday in February of each year is hereby designated as Alcohol Education Week in the public schools of the Territory of the Virgin Islands.
17 V.I.C. § 58 —Instructions concerning use of alcoholic beverages and narcotics
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During this week, each school principal or other designated person shall instruct each class from the seventh grade upward for at least 30 minutes on 3 days concerning the risks and dangers involved in the use of alcoholic beverages and narcotics. The principal, or such other des…
17 V.I.C. § 59 —Duty of Commissioner of Education
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The Commissioner of Education shall each year call to the attention of each school principal Alcohol Education Week, and shall through the Division of Education Programs provide suitable printed materials and other aids for use in the observance of the week.
17 V.I.C. § 60 —Observance of alternate week
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Should a school find it impracticable for any reason to observe Alcohol Education Week at the time designated, the principal may ask permission of the Commissioner of Education to observe an alternate week.
17 V.I.C. § 60a Athletic fields and recreational facilities
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After September 1, 1971, no new public school shall be constructed unless in conjunction with the construction of such school there is included athletic and recreational facilities adequate for the development of comprehensive physical fitness, competitive sports and recreational…
17 V.I.C. § 60b Concussions; legislative findings, guidelines, procedure, training
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(a) The Legislature finds that:(1) Concussions are one of the most commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who participate in sports and recreational activities.(2) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 3,800,000 sports-related an…
17 V.I.C. § 60c Site based management
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(a) The Commissioner of Education shall develop policies and guidelines for the implementation of site-based management and control of the acquisition process for all public high schools in the Virgin Islands which will allow individual public high schools maximum operational and…
17 V.I.C. § 60d Small-purchase authority
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(a) Notwithstanding title 31 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 23, the Department of Education may purchase or contract for all supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services, if the cost of the purchase or contract does not exceed $250,000. (b) [Deleted.] (c) Each principal …