COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 137

July 8, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Statewide Partnership Agreement Between Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) and the Virginia Department of Education

The Virginia Department of Education, Office of Career and Technical Education Services, is pleased to announce a one-year (2005-06 school year) partnership agreement with Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) relating to its Education to Careers Program (E2C). With more than 20,000 members in 102 countries, CompTIA is the leading global information technology (IT) trade association with influence in all areas of the IT industry worldwide.

CompTIAs industry certifications are considered pathway credentials for high school students who will work toward additional training and advanced certification after graduation. Selected CompTIA industry certification assessments have been approved by the Board of Education for the student-selected verified credit option.

The state partnership agreement will allow high school career and technical education programs, who teach toward selected CompTIA certification examinations, to receive as much as a 50 percent discount on vouchers for selected industry certifications (e.g., A+ certification). Teachers who register their schools under the CompTIA E2C Membership Program can request free vouchers for professional development use for up to two CompTIA certification programs per school year.

Schools choosing to target one or more CompTIA industry certifications as correlated to their career and technical education programs should take advantage of the state CompTIA E2C partnership by requesting a membership registration form from Gordon Creasy (Gordon.Creasy@doe.virginia.gov), specialist for industry certification and licensure, Office of Career and Technical Education. The academic discount for CompTIA E2C program vouchers for students can then be obtained through standard school division purchase orders (showing a membership number notation) indicating that the order is being submitted as part of the E2C CompTIA/Virginia DOE partnership agreement.

For information on which CompTIA certification programs correlate to specific career and technical education programs, contact the appropriate career and technical education specialist, Office of Career and Technical Education, at 804-225-2051. For information about the state partnership agreement, contact Gordon Creasy (Gordon.Creasy@doe.virginia.gov), specialist for industry certification and licensure, Office of Career and Technical Education, at 804-225-2057.

JLD/EMR/GC/sgj