COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 073

April 1, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Virginia Plan for Dual Enrollment Between Virginia Public Schools and Community Colleges

Earlier this year, the Secretary of Education, Belle Wheelan, along with the agency heads of the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System, Jo Lynne DeMary and Glenn DuBois, signed a collaborative agreement entitled the “Virginia Plan for Dual Enrollment Between Virginia Public Schools and Community Colleges.” This agreement provides a statewide framework for dual enrollment arrangements between Virginia public schools and community colleges.

These arrangements may be made at the local level; i.e., between the representatives of boards of the participating public school and the participating community college authorized to contract such agreements. They may be formed in three distinct ways:

• First, high school students may be enrolled in the regularly scheduled college credit courses with the other students taught at the community college.
• Second, high school students may be enrolled in specially scheduled college credit courses conducted exclusively for high school students taught at the high school.
• Third, high school students may be enrolled in specially scheduled college credit courses conducted exclusively for high school students taught at the community college.

The attached copy of the agreement outlines dual enrollment requirements for student eligibility, admissions, course selection, award of credits, selection of faculty, tuition and fees, compliance with accreditation standards, and assessment. Please review and use this document as a framework within which to engage in partnerships with community colleges to offer increased opportunities for high school students to take advanced and/or accelerated courses.

All dual enrollment courses may be counted toward the 15 college credits required for a student to become an “Early College Scholar.” More information about Governor Warner’s Early Scholars Program can be found at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/senioryearplus/earlycollegescholars.shtml.

Certain dual enrollment courses may also qualify as part of the Commonwealth College Course Collaborative (http://www.virginiamentor.org/planning/cccc.asp). This collaborative involving all Virginia colleges and universities, including community colleges and four-year institutions, provides a set of academic courses that fully transfer as core requirements and degree credits.

For more information about dual enrollment, Early College Scholars, or the Commonwealth College Course Collaborative, please contact Dr. Linda Wallinger, assistant superintendent for instruction, at (804) 225-2034 or linda.wallinger@doe.virginia.gov; or Jim Firebaugh, director of middle and high school instruction, at (804) 225-2651 or jim.firebaugh@doe.virginia.gov.

JLD/LMW/saj

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/suptsmemos/2005/inf073a.pdf