Officials praise dual-enrollment program’s growth and cost coverage

City and school leaders used the special session to highlight program growth and financial support for students who earn college credit while in high school.

Brian Marchese told the council the program began in the 2016–2017 school year and that the first two associate-degree graduates completed the program in 2018. He said the program has expanded year over year and described the benefits: college credits and career pathways while still in high school. “Two years of college tuition, fees, and supplies were saved,” Marchese said, describing the financial benefit to families.

Superintendent Dr. Raymond Haines reiterated the participation figures in his remarks: “65 total graduates tomorrow at Virginia Peninsula Community College, all of whom will receive the associate's degree prior to receiving their high school diploma,” he said, and added that the program has produced a total of 226 associate-degree earners since the district began the partnership. Haines also stated explicitly that the college coursework was provided at no cost to students: “We took care of all the costs.”

Transcript remarks include a differing breakdown from Mayor Gray, who earlier said 58 students were from Phoebus High School and one from Bethel High School; the meeting did not reconcile the per-school counts with the presenters’ total. The session did not include details about the specific funding sources or budget lines that covered college tuition and fees; presenters said costs were covered but did not specify whether funding came from the city, the school division, state programs, grants, or the college.