                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

COLLEGE AND CAREER READY VIRGINIA PROGRAM; INCORPORATION OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL
EDUCATION COURSEWORK; WORK GROUP (§ 22.1-237.5)

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&#8217;s regions,
associate-degree-granting public institutions of higher education from each of
the eight Superintendent&#8217;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&#8217;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 &#xA7; 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 &#xA7; 23.1-2911.2, the
   New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program established pursuant to Article
   4.1 (&#xA7; 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.

HISTORY: 2024, cc. 647, 684.