| ommonwealth of Virginia and Governor Timothy M. | | | | • Nottoway County |
| Kaine have for some time been encouraging Virginia | | | | • Richmond |
| Schools high school students to take more rigorous | | | | • Roanoke County |
| coursework. The Governor recently announced the | | | | • Scott County |
| pilot Commonwealth Scholars Program and | | | | The Virginia Career Education Foundation, a statewide |
| promotional campaign to underscore this commitment | | | | business and education partnership, will lead the Virginia |
| to excellence in Virginia’s youth. | | | | schools initiative. They will work with participating |
| Eleven divisions within the Virginia schools initially will | | | | school divisions to develop partnerships with local |
| participate in the new program. The required rigorous | | | | businesses and to promote the program. Private |
| coursework goes beyond the minimum graduation | | | | sector volunteers will be trained to make presentations |
| requirements for a Standard Diploma, but falls below | | | | to the students, focusing on how the rigorous high |
| the college preparation coursework requirements for | | | | school courses will improve their post-high school |
| an Advanced Studies Diploma. Students who | | | | career opportunities. |
| complete the core coursework under the Virginia | | | | The Commonwealth Scholars Program is based on a |
| schools program will be recognized as Commonwealth | | | | core course of study that includes: |
| Scholars at graduation and eligible to receive a special | | | | • Four years of English; |
| diploma seal that recognizes their achievement. | | | | • Three years of mathematics — |
| Instructional support will be provided to all students who | | | | Algebra I and II, and geometry; |
| participate. | | | | • Three years of science — biology, |
| A two-year, $300,000 State Scholars Initiative grant | | | | chemistry and physics; |
| from the U.S. Department of Education funds the | | | | • Three and half years of social studies |
| Commonwealth Scholars Program. Virginia schools | | | | — selected from United States and Virginia |
| were one of eight states selected in a national | | | | history, world history, geography, economics and |
| competition to participate in the federal grant program. | | | | financial literacy, United States and Virginia government; |
| The Virginia schools divisions were chosen based on | | | | • Two years of health and physical education; |
| their interest in the program and their ability to meet the | | | | and |
| requirements of the grant. The eleven Virginia | | | | • Two years of language other than English. |
| schools’ divisions are: | | | | Research has shown that there is a strong correlation |
| • Albemarle County | | | | between the academic rigor of high school |
| • Alexandria | | | | coursework taken and postsecondary degree |
| • Bristol | | | | completion. One example is mathematics — 40 |
| • Carroll County | | | | percent of students who took Algebra II in high school |
| • Chesterfield County | | | | earned a bachelor’s degree, as compared to |
| • Henry County | | | | only 23 percent of graduates who stopped taking high |
| • Lancaster County | | | | school mathematics at geometry. |