Title 22.1. Education
Chapter 13. Programs, Courses of Instruction and Textbooks
Article 5.1. College and Career Ready Virginia Program and Fund.
§ 22.1-237.1. Definitions.As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education," "baccalaureate public institution of higher education," "comprehensive community college," "Council," "public institution of higher education," and "System" have the same meanings as provided in § 23.1-100.
"Career and technical education" has the same meaning as provided in § 23.1-2900.
"Fund" means the College and Career Ready Virginia Fund.
"Program" means the College and Career Ready Virginia Program.
"Qualified high school student" means a student who is eligible to participate in the Program in accordance with subdivision 3 of § 22.1-237.4.
§ 22.1-237.2. College and Career Ready Virginia Program and Fund; establishment.A. The Board and the State Board for Community Colleges shall establish the College and Career Ready Virginia Program.
B. The purpose of the Program is to offer consistent, structured opportunities for all qualified high school students in the Commonwealth to enroll in postsecondary coursework offered by a comprehensive community college that is creditable toward high school completion and a certificate or degree from a public institution of higher education. Academic credits earned through the Program shall enable students to complete a postsecondary credential in less time and at lower cost.
C. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the College and Career Ready Virginia Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of administering the Program. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Chancellor of the System and the Superintendent.
D. Comprehensive community colleges, the Online Virginia Network Authority, and local school boards shall not charge qualified high school students tuition or fees for enrolling and participating in Program courses.
§ 22.1-237.3. (For Effective Date, see 2024 Acts, cc. 647, 684, cl. 2) College and Career Ready Virginia Program; requirements.A. The Program shall consist of the dual enrollment and participation of qualified high school students at the high school in college courses pursuant to the Passport Program and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program established in accordance with the requirements set forth in subsection B of § 23.1-907.
B. (Effective beginning with course registration for the fall term of the 2025 academic year) Each school board shall, pursuant to the Program, offer each qualified high school student in the local school division access to courses at each high school that are sufficient to complete the Passport Program and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program at a public institution of higher education at no cost to such student.
C. (Effective beginning with course registration for the fall term of the 2025 academic year) The System and the Online Virginia Network Authority shall, pursuant to the Program, offer each local school board access to courses at each high school, including virtual courses, that are sufficient for each local school board's qualified high school students to complete the Passport Program and the Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program at a public institution of higher education, at no cost to such local school board.
D. (Effective beginning with course registration for the fall term of the 2025 academic year) Any credit earned through successful completion of Passport Program and Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program courses through the Program shall transfer to each public institution of higher education pursuant to §§ 23.1-905.1 and 23.1-907.
E. The Program shall include appropriate counseling by high school and comprehensive community college staff to ensure that all high school students and parents of high school students receive thorough information about the availability of and process for enrolling in Program courses and the opportunity to earn Passport Program and Uniform Certificate of General Studies Program credits that will transfer to public institutions of higher education.
F. The Program shall be data-driven and continually updated to (i) reduce socioeconomic, academic, and other barriers impeding students' access to Program courses; (ii) improve student academic and career outcomes; and (iii) align with the changing workforce needs of the Commonwealth.
G. The Auditor of Public Accounts shall annually audit the receipt and expenditure of any funds associated with the Program by any local school board, any comprehensive community college, the Department, or the System to ensure that such funds are expended exclusively in furtherance of the purposes of this article.
§ 22.1-237.4. College and Career Ready Virginia Program; administration.The Department and the System shall administer the Program. In administering the Program, the Department and the System shall:
1. Establish an advisory committee composed of representatives from local school divisions from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, baccalaureate public institutions of higher education, Richard Bland College, the Office of the Secretary of Education, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, the Virginia Office of Education Economics, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as well as parents of public school students from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, a parent of a student who receives home instruction, and a representative from the Department with expertise in state and federal requirements for meeting the needs of students with disabilities. Such advisory committee shall provide guidance to the Department and the System to ensure that the Program fulfills the purpose of the Program described in subsection B of § 22.1-237.2 and meets the requirements set forth in § 22.1-237.3.
2. Coordinate with the Council in its performance of its responsibilities under §§ 23.1-905.1, 23.1-907, and 23.1-908.
3. Review existing regulations, including 8VAC20-131-140, and policies, including policy 6.6.3 in the VCCS Policy Manual, on dual enrollment student eligibility and admission requirements and develop consistent student eligibility and admission requirements for the Program that balance improving student access to and ensuring student preparedness for Program courses.
4. Develop and implement initiatives to improve participation in the Program by qualified high school students from groups of students that are underrepresented in baccalaureate public institutions of higher education.
5. Develop guidelines for school boards and comprehensive community colleges to provide notice of and counseling relating to the Program to high school students and their parents.
6. Develop guidelines for local school boards and comprehensive community colleges to provide students enrolled in the Program with appropriate support, including academic support services and activities, access and user privileges to adequate library collections and services, accommodations for students with disabilities, transportation, and any other learning information or resources.
7. Establish and implement initiatives to increase the number of high school teachers across the Commonwealth that meet the applicable dual enrollment faculty credential requirements.
8. In local school divisions in which in-person instruction by qualified high school faculty is not available, ensure that comprehensive community colleges and the Online Virginia Network Authority provide access to Program courses transmitted virtually.
9. Consider the unique needs of local school divisions related to their location, size, and proximity to a comprehensive community college when developing recommendations and implementing the Program.
10. Consider how to incorporate all associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education in the Program, consistent with the establishment of the Program pursuant to § 22.1-237.2.
11. Make distributions from the Fund as set forth in subsection C of § 22.1-237.2.
12. Develop and implement a plan for the annual collection and public reporting of state-level and division-level Program data, including high school and postsecondary student outcomes.
13. Develop and implement a plan for the annual collection from local school divisions and comprehensive community colleges of data on their receipts and expenditures related to the Program.
14. Establish a Program webpage that provides information necessary for students and parents to understand and access the Program.
15. Complete an annual, comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the Program, including its cost, student outcomes, and the quality and rigor of Program courses, and prepare a plan for continuous Program improvement.
16. Annually report to the General Assembly the results of the review and the plan for continuous Program improvement in subdivision 15.
§ 22.1-237.5. College and Career Ready Virginia Program; incorporation of career and technical education coursework; work group.A. In recognition of the fact that career and technical education is an essential element of workforce readiness in the Commonwealth, the Department and the System shall establish the Program career and technical education work group (the work group) for the purpose of developing and recommending a career and technical education program of coursework that is available to all qualified high school students as part of the Program.
B. The work group shall be composed of representatives from local school divisions from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, Richard Bland College, the Office of the Secretary of Education, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia, the Virginia Office of Education Economics, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as well as parents of public school students from each of the eight Superintendent's regions, a parent of a student who receives home instruction, and a representative from the Department with expertise in state and federal requirements for meeting the needs of students with disabilities.
C. The work group shall:
1. Review existing statutory requirements related to career and technical education, including § 23.1-2906.1, and assess their relevance to qualified dual enrollment students;
2. Gather data sufficient to understand (i) what career and technical education courses and pathways are currently offered through dual enrollment to students; (ii) how the current dual enrollment course offerings differ across local school divisions; (iii) whether existing state funding programs that support career and technical education, including the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Program established pursuant to § 23.1-2911.2, the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program established pursuant to Article 4.1 (§ 23.1-627.1 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 23.1, and the FastForward Program established by the System, are available to dual enrollment students; (iv) the current availability of instructors who are qualified to teach dual enrollment career and technical education courses across local school divisions; (v) the current costs of dual enrollment in career and technical education courses for students across local school divisions; (vi) the current cost to comprehensive community colleges to provide career and technical education through dual enrollment; and (vii) the extent to which current dual enrollment career and technical education coursework meets industry needs across the Commonwealth; and
3. Develop recommendations for the Department and the System to incorporate career and technical education coursework into the Program. Such recommendations shall address (i) what career and technical education coursework shall be available through dual enrollment to qualified high school students through the Program; (ii) how to ensure that all qualified dual enrolled students can access career and technical courses available through the Program; (iii) how to ensure that such courses meet the industry needs of the Commonwealth; (iv) how to ensure that such courses are affordable for qualified high school students across the Commonwealth; (v) how to ensure that qualified instructors are available to teach career and technical education coursework through the Program; (vi) how to make career and technical education coursework offered through the Program available to qualified high school students through the Online Virginia Network; (vii) what measurable objectives and quantifiable goals the Department and the System should use to understand the cost, assess outcomes, and develop plans for continuous improvement of dual enrollment career and technical education coursework through the Program; and (viii) what legislative action is necessary to incorporate career and technical education coursework into the Program.