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2024 SESSION
24100545DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 22.1-349.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 19.1 of Title 22.1 an article numbered 2, consisting of sections numbered 22.1-349.12, 22.1-349.13, and 22.1-349.14, as follows:
§ 22.1-349.1. Definitions; objectives.
A. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"At-risk student" means a student having a physical, emotional, intellectual, socioeconomic, or cultural risk factor, as defined in Board criteria, that research indicates may negatively influence educational success.
"College partnership laboratory school" means a public, nonsectarian, nonreligious school in the Commonwealth established by a public institution of higher education; public higher education center, institute, or authority; or an eligible institution as defined in § 23.1-628. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 22.1-349.5, a public institution of higher education; a public higher education center, institute, or authority; or an eligible institution as defined in § 23.1-628 may submit an application for formation of a college partnership laboratory school. "College partnership laboratory school" includes any school established pursuant to the Early College Model Program as set forth in Article 2 (§ 22.1-349.12 et seq.).
"Governing board" means the board of a college partnership laboratory school that is responsible for creating, managing, and operating the college partnership laboratory school and whose members have been selected by the institution of higher education that establishes the college partnership laboratory school. The governing board shall be under the control of the institution of higher education that establishes the college partnership laboratory school.
B. College partnership laboratory schools may be established as provided in this chapter to (i) stimulate the development of innovative programs for preschool through grade 12 students; (ii) provide opportunities for innovative instruction and assessment; (iii) provide teachers with a vehicle for establishing schools with alternative innovative instruction and school scheduling, management, and structure; (iv) encourage the use of performance-based educational programs; (v) establish high standards for both teachers and administrators; (vi) encourage greater collaboration between education providers from preschool to the postsecondary level; and (vii) develop models for replication in other public schools.
§ 22.1-349.12. Early College Model Program established; purpose; implementation and administration; report.
A. There is hereby established the Early College Model Program, hereinafter referred to in this article as "the Program," whereby any public institution of higher education may establish, in accordance with the provisions of this article, a college partnership laboratory school in which each enrolled high school student earns, at no cost to the student, an associate degree or a bachelor's degree concurrently with a high school diploma.
B. The purpose of the Program is to (i) reduce or eliminate the burden of college debt for enrolled students; (ii) significantly expand access to higher education for students who may otherwise be unable to afford it; (iii) accelerate each enrolled student's career trajectory by enabling each such student to enter the workforce or pursue further education sooner than the student's peers, providing the student with a competitive economic advantage; (iv) better prepare each enrolled student for the rigors of postsecondary education, potentially leading to higher rates of postsecondary completion; (v) foster collaboration between high schools and public institutions of higher education, leading to a more cohesive and streamlined educational experience for enrolled students; and (vi) support economic development in the Commonwealth by increasing its skilled workforce, in turn attracting businesses and investments to the Commonwealth.
C. The Department shall oversee the implementation and administration of the Program and shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly on its efficacy and financial impact.
§ 22.1-349.13. Program college partnership laboratory schools; application, governance, and funding.
The provisions of this chapter relating to college partnership laboratory school applications, governance, and funding shall apply to college partnership laboratory schools established pursuant to the Program, with the following exceptions and conditions:
1. Notwithstanding subsection A of § 22.1-349.5, any public institution of higher education is permitted to apply to establish a college partnership laboratory school pursuant to the Program;
2. In each application by a public institution of higher education for the establishment of a college partnership laboratory school proposed to be established pursuant to the Program:
a. The description of the proposed mission, vision, and academic and educational programs required pursuant to subdivisions B 2, 8, and 9 of § 22.1-349.5 shall include a detailed description of a dual enrollment-focused program whereby ninth grade students enroll in college preparatory-focused electives and tenth through twelfth grade students who maintain a certain grade point average enroll in courses at the public institution of higher education in which there are open seats after the standard course registration process is completed with the goal of each such dually enrolled high school student completing all or a significant portion of an associate degree or bachelor's degree at such institution; and
b. The descriptions of school leadership and management and the organizational and staffing charts required pursuant to subdivisions B 6, 15, 16, and 17 of § 22.1-349.5 shall include a provision requiring the employment of a school administrator at both the college partnership laboratory school and the public institution of higher education in addition to a high school principal, counselors, and academic advisors, and dual enrollment support staff at all grade levels who track student performance, provide tutoring, counseling, and academic and career advising support, and foster positive relationships with the parents of enrolled students;
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 22.1-349.1, subsection C of § 22.1-349.3, subsection B of § 22.1-349.4, subdivisions B 6, 15, and 16 of § 22.1-349.5, subsection C of § 22.1-349.5, and subsection B of § 22.1-349.10, a college partnership laboratory school established pursuant to the Program shall be administered and governed by the Department; and
4. Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (i) of subsection E of § 22.1-349.3 and § 22.1-349.10, no student shall be charged tuition for the college courses in which the student is dually enrolled and the college partnership laboratory school established pursuant to the Program shall receive the statewide average share of Standards of Quality per pupil state funding, including the per pupil share of state sales tax funding in basic aid, for each student enrolled in such school to support the instruction of each such student in the fall and spring semesters. The college partnership laboratory school shall bear the cost of any required textbooks and other course fees and materials. Students may be permitted to enroll in courses at the public institution of higher education in the summer session, and the college partnership laboratory school shall bear the cost of such enrollment. Each public institution of higher education is entitled to any funding and incentives for students dually enrolled at such institution and a college partnership laboratory school established pursuant to the Program in accordance with the provisions of the general appropriation act.
§ 22.1-349.14. Early College Model Program college partnership laboratory schools; cost-efficiency in college course enrollment; placement.
A. To maximize cost-efficiency, high school students at a college partnership laboratory school established pursuant to the Program are only permitted to register for courses that have open seats at the public institution of higher education at which such school is established. The public institution of higher education shall identify and make available a list of courses each semester that have open seats and are suitable for dual enrollment for such students.
B. Each college partnership laboratory school established pursuant to the Program and the public institution of higher education at which it is established shall coordinate to ensure that high school students are appropriately placed in college courses, considering factors such as academic rigor and the needs of both the high school students and other enrolled college students. Each public institution of higher education shall confirm final high school student course placements no later than two weeks prior to the start of each academic semester and shall allow for adjustments based on changes in course availability and student needs.