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