| 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 - Algebra I and |
| Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of | | | | II, and geometry; |
| Education funds the Commonwealth Scholars | | | | |
| Program. Virginia schools were one of eight | | | | - Three years of science - biology, chemistry |
| states selected in a national competition to | | | | and physics; |
| participate in the federal grant program. | | | | |
| | | | - Three and half years of social studies - |
| The Virginia schools divisions were chosen | | | | selected from United States and Virginia |
| based on their interest in the program and | | | | history, world history, geography, economics |
| their ability to meet the requirements of the | | | | and financial literacy, United States and |
| grant. The eleven Virginia schools' divisions | | | | Virginia government; |
| are: | | | | |
| | | | - Two years of health and physical education; |
| - Albemarle County | | | | and |
| | | | |
| - Alexandria | | | | - Two years of language other than English. |
| | | | |
| - Bristol | | | | Research has shown that there is a strong |
| | | | correlation between the academic rigor of |
| - Carroll County | | | | high school coursework taken and |
| | | | postsecondary degree completion. One example |
| - Chesterfield County | | | | is mathematics - 40 percent of students who |
| | | | took Algebra II in high school earned a |
| - Henry County | | | | bachelor's degree, as compared to only 23 |
| | | | percent of graduates who stopped taking high |
| - Lancaster County | | | | school mathematics at geometry. |
| | | | |