VINELAND — Rowan College of South Jersey and Vineland Public Schools were joined by the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, and the city of Vineland, to participate in the Celebrate Innovation in Education ceremony.
The special event, which recently took place at Vineland High School South, gave representatives from these entities an opportunity to announce the awarding of $148,000 to VPS as part of the New Jersey Department of Education Dual Enrollment Pilot Grant Initiative.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to be in my alma mater…What’s amazing to me is that Vineland High School continues to grow and improve,” said state Sen. Michael Testa, R-1. “And, through partnerships with Rowan College of South Jersey and the vision of President Fred Keating, I can only imagine where this can go with this partnership and with this dual enrollment [initiative].”
VHS established a partnership with RCSJ and Rowan University, institutions of higher education, for this pilot initiative.
The $148,000 grant, provided by the DOE, is a single-year initiative designed to enable high school students to take college-level courses, and earn both high school and college credits simultaneously. The funding will also help VPS initiate and increase dual enrollment/dual credit courses at VHS with an intention to ensure equitable access and participation for all under-resourced students – including those who are economically disadvantaged as well as multi-lingual learners – who are eligible for the program.
The DOE, in association with the Office of the Secretary for Higher Education, awarded a total of $500,000 in grants for the creation and expansion of high-quality dual enrollment programs in several school districts across the state as part of the New Jersey State Plan for Higher Education. VPS was one of only four school districts in the state – and the only one in South Jersey – selected to receive funding for this initiative.
“The grant holds tremendous significance for Vineland Public Schools, and more importantly for our students and their families,” said Kimberly Codispoti, president, Vineland Board of Education. “It represents an opportunity to break down the barriers and provide access to transformative educational experiences. What sets this initiative apart is our commitment to equity and inclusiveness. We are not merely creating opportunities; we are ensuring that these opportunities are accessible to all eligible students.”
“I’m thrilled to be celebrating this event today and the significant achievement of being [awarded] a dual enrollment grant from the state of New Jersey,” added Alfonso Llano, superintendent, Vineland Public Schools. “This grant is not just about financial support; it symbolizes our commitment to providing equitable access to education for all our students … We will cover tuition, textbooks, transportation costs and a translation of materials for those students making education even more accessible than ever.”
Llano recognized the Vineland Board of Education for establishing an assertive grant writing department at VPS that helped them connect with several collaborators to enhance educational opportunities for its students. He also thanked the grant writing team for their hard work in helping VPS attain this competitive grant award.
Two students, Xavien Phillips and Kellianne Burgess, proudly shared their positive experiences as current participants in RCSJ’s dual enrollment program with an attentive audience.
The initiative is also part of a broader articulation agreement with Rowan University and RCSJ allowing for a seamless partnership and application of the dual enrollment programs.
For more information about Rowan College of South Jersey’s Dual Enrollment programs, visit RCSJ.edu/HighSchool/Gloucester/DualCredit or RCSJ.edu/HighSchool/Cumberland/Early-College.
Local government officials, educators, and business leaders along with Rowan College of South Jersey and Vineland High School faculty, staff, and students were on hand to witness the signing of the Collegiate High School memorandum of understanding between Vineland Public Schools and RCSJ and to celebrate the $148,000 dual enrollment grant that was awarded to VHS by the New Jersey Department of Education. Seated at the table from left are: Vineland Public School District Superintendent Alfonso Llano, Vineland Board of Education President Kimberly Codispoti, and RCSJ President Dr. Frederick Keating.
