Beginning next year, all high school students will have to take some sort of online course in order to graduate.

The General Assembly passed the law this year. It will start next fall with incoming ninth-graders and apply to every student pursuing a standard or advanced-studies diploma.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that a similar requirement was proposed in Virginia Beach before but failed because of concerns it would penalize students who didn't have computer at home.

Lawmakers chose to allow students to satisfy the requirement by completing a digital course while in the classroom.

State education officials say they want to make sure Virginia students are exposed to online instruction because it's being used across the country.