COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 153

July 3, 2008

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Revised Virginia Plan for Dual Enrollment Between Virginia Public Schools and Community Colleges

 

Last month, Secretary of Education Thomas Morris, along with the agency heads of the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Community College System, Billy K. Cannaday, Jr., and Glenn DuBois, signed a revised 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 revised agreement outlines dual enrollment requirements for student eligibility, admissions, course eligibility, compliance with accreditation standards, award of credits, selection of faculty, tuition and fees, and assessment and evaluation. Please review and use this revised 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 (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 two- and four-year colleges and universities except Virginia Military Institute, 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 Dr. Felicia Dyke, director of middle and high school instruction, at (804) 225-2651 or Felicia.Dyke@doe.virginia.gov.

BKCJr/LMW/oml

Attachment

a. Virginia Plan for Dual Enrollment between Virginia Public Schools and Community Colleges, March 2008 (PDF)