2026 Early College Summit: Full Schedule

RTI International will host the 2026 Early College Summit on June 9–10, 2026 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC. This two-day event for early college leaders and program teams will focus on research-based early college and dual enrollment strategies to improve practice and support student success in rigorous learning environments. The Summit is designed so that veteran and new early college practitioners and college partners can collaborate to learn and share expertise to improve learning and student outcomes. Join us as we strengthen our capabilities to empower learners for future ready success!

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8:00am EDT

Exhibit Exploration

Tuesday June 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT

Benton Convention Center Foyer

Tuesday June 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Benton Convention Center Foyer

8:00am EDT

Registration & Breakfast

Tuesday June 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT

Benton Convention Center Foyer

Tuesday June 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am EDT
Benton Convention Center Foyer

9:00am EDT

Opening Session & Keynote

Tuesday June 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Salem 2 Ballroom

Tuesday June 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Salem 2 Ballroom

10:30am EDT

Transition & Exhibit Exploration

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:30am - 10:45am EDT

Benton Convention Center Foyer

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:30am - 10:45am EDT
Benton Convention Center Foyer

10:45am EDT

Instructional Advancement through Inquiry

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 3C

Educators and instructional leaders are invited to reflect on Innovation Early College's journey of cultivating faculty capacity to create a school-wide culture of student-inquiry. In this session, participants will develop a shared understanding of high-level inquiry as sustained investigation with increased student agency, examine how intentional vocabulary instruction and exemplars build teacher capacity, apply a practical observation tool to support inquiry-based instructional growth, and examine how inquiry-based instruction advances core Early College outcomes, including student agency, persistence, postsecondary readiness, and credit attainment.

Presenters

Angela Powell

Instructional Coach, Innovation Early College High School

Daniel Fussell

Social Studies Teacher, Innovation Early College High School

Wesley Grant

Dean of Students, Innovation Early College HS

Jennifer Ferguson-Attardi

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 3C

Innovative Instruction

10:45am EDT

The role of students in measuring and monitoring their own growth

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 3A

Student performance rightfully consumes us, but as state tests have fallen away from certain subject areas and data with them, how do we measure and track growth?

Presenters

Joel Elliott

Teacher, Brunswick County Early College High School

I am completing my 22nd year of teaching high school social studies here in North Carolina and I currently live in Myrtle Beach, S.C. I grew up in Halifax County before attending UNCW and returning to that area to teach at SouthWest Edgecombe High School in Edgecombe County. After... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 3A

Innovative Instruction

global Y

10:45am EDT

Building a College-Going Culture by Making College the Expectation, Not the Exception

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 1A

This session highlights the impact of early college exposure and how one Massachusetts school fostered a college-going culture for students, staff, and families. New Heights Charter School of Brockton has expanded early college access, with over 50% of graduates earning an associate degree while in high school and nearly all earning at least 12 college credits. Serving a culturally diverse community, the school created an accessible and equitable early college model that instills in ALL students the belief that they are college-bound from day one. Join this session to explore best practices for building a supportive college-going culture.

Presenters

Maria Fernandes

Assistant Executive Director, New Heights Charter School of Brockton

Maria Fernandes is a dedicated and mission-driven educational leader committed to creating equitable pathways to college and career success for all students. As Assistant Executive Director at New Heights Charter School of Brockton, Massachusetts’ first wall-to-wall Early College... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 1A

Leadership

global Y

10:45am EDT

Pour Over and Problem-Solving

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 2 Ballroom

This "Pour Over and Problem-Solving" coffee chat combines hands-on coffee brewing demonstrations with critical dialogue to explore how to thoughtfully integrate technology while prioritizing timeless human values. Attendees will engage in conversation on topics from mindful tech usage to human-centered design, gaining ideas to leverage technology ethically and foster more enriching interpersonal experiences.

Presenters

Dee Lanier

Lead Learning Experience Designer, Lanier Learning, LLC

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 2 Ballroom

Leadership

10:45am EDT

Bucking the Trend: Increasing Dual Enrollment in a World of Declining High School Populations

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Winston 1A

In upstate New York, as with many parts of the country, public school enrollment has dropped 5-10% over the past decade. This session will highlight how Hudson Valley Community College defied the odds, achieving a 62% increase in annual dual enrollment over the past five years while transforming the DE experience for high school students. HVCC's College in the High School Program serves as a model for embedding holistic advising and student support directly into all aspects of the enrollment process. Attendees will get an inside look at how HVCC works with its 30+ district partners to provide 1-on-1 advisement opportunities, develop degree pathways specific to each school's student interests, and streamline every step of the enrollment process using the Canusia platform. The result? A sharp increase in program enrollment, improved credit completion, and expanded degree attainment for Dual Enrollment students.

Presenters

Andrew Roberts

Customer Success Specialist, Canusia, Inc.

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Winston 1A

Partnerships

10:45am EDT

Leveraging the Power of Student Leadership

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 1C

Are you ready to help your students become the leaders they were made to be?

We believe students are ready for more! More responsibility, more opportunity for impact, and more ownership of the school environment.

The key to leveraging the power of student leadership lies in inspiring our students to believe they can lead, equipping them with research based leadership skills, and empowering them to lead within their school community.

We will reflect on case studies of how 3 schools across 3 states have done that during the 2025-2026 school year.

You'll also get to experience 2 of our signature leadership development activities which you can use to cultivate leadership among your students!

Presenters

Stuart Gordon

Founder & CEO, Appointed to Lead

After 10 years in the classroom, Stuart founded Appointed to Lead motivated by a passion for providing high quality leadership development instruction to high school students. Appointed to Lead seeks to help every student become the leader they were made to be by inspiring, equipping... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 1C

Partnerships

global Y

10:45am EDT

Future Ready Dual Enrollment – What Early Colleges Teach Us About Expanding Access, Pathways, and Student Success

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Winston 3C

Dual enrollment participation is growing nationally, but access and outcomes remain uneven, especially for students who would benefit most from a clear, supported on-ramp to college and credentials. In North Carolina, Career and College Promise (CCP) offers a structured, statewide model with multiple pathways including college transfer, CTE, and cooperative innovative high school (a.k.a. early college) programs. Using North Carolina as an example of a rich and diversified approach to dual enrollment, this panel will spotlight what’s working, identify barriers limiting participation and completion, and explore how high-impact early college strategies, including clearly defined pathways and strong student supports, can be applied to improve student success in all types of dual enrollment programs.

Presenters

Dr. De McKenzie

Education Consultant, RTI International

Dr. Demond “De” McKenzie is an expert in education and leadership development with over 20 years of experience. Currently he serves as an education consultant and leadership coach for RTI’s Education Services team, where he leads design and facilitation of professional development... Read More →

Frank McKay

Education Consultant, RTI International

Frank McKay has dedicated his career to designing and improving educational experiences for students and educators. As RTI's Director for Education Networks, Frank works with the amazing Early College Network (ECN) team at RTI to ensure that member voices and interests guide ECN activities... Read More →

Julie Edmunds

Director, Early College Research Center, Early College Research Center, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Dr. Julie Edmunds is Director of the Early College Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she leads a team doing research on the early college model, dual enrollment, career pathways, and efforts to increase postsecondary access and success. She has been studying early college and dual enrollment for over two decades... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Winston 3C

Research Policy & Impact

10:45am EDT

From Potential to Pathways: Redefining student success at WAAT

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 3B

How can schools better prepare students for life beyond graduation? In this session, participants will explore Wilson Academy of Applied Technology's (WAAT) innovative pathway-driven learning model designed to address common challenges such as career uncertainty, skill gaps, and limited real-world exposure.

Attendees will learn how WAAT integrates personalized learning tracks, student voice and choice, and real-world experiences into the school day. The session will highlight how pathways connect students’ interests to academic coursework, skill development, and future college and career opportunities.

Participants will also examine the role of educators as mentors and industry connectors, explore strategies for measuring student success beyond traditional metrics, and consider how this model can be adapted and scaled across diverse school settings. Through an interactive activity, attendees will apply the pathway framework to real student profiles, gaining practical insights for implementation in their own contexts.

Presenters

Makenzie Webb

Student Presenter, Wilson Academy of Applied Technology

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 3B

Student Supports

10:45am EDT

From the Ground Up: Reinventing Early College for Sustainable Success

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Winston 3C

Early College programs are often born out of bold vision—but sustaining that vision, revamping a struggling program, or restarting one that has lost momentum requires intentional leadership, strategic culture-building, and collective ownership from both administrators and teachers.From the Ground Up explores what it truly takes to build, rebuild, or reinvent an Early College program. Drawing on real-world experiences from program launch, redesign, and renewal, this session will walk participants through the foundational work that must happen when a program is starting fresh—or starting over. Attendees will examine how clarity of purpose, aligned systems, and strong relationships can transform an Early College from a collection of good intentions into a thriving, student-centered model.Participants will leave with practical strategies principals and teachers can use immediately to stabilize, strengthen, and sustain Early College programs—whether they are opening their doors for the first time or reimagining what success should look like moving forward.

Presenters

Dr. Kim McMinn

Director, Polk County Early College

Dr. Kim McMinn is the Director of Polk County Early College, where she brings a career-long commitment to student success, instructional excellence, and innovative school leadership. She holds a doctorate in education, with advanced training in educational leadership, school improvement... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Winston 3C

Student Supports

global Y

10:45am EDT

It’s Not Just One More Thing – It’s EVERYTHING: Aligning Connections, MTSS, and Personal Adult Advocacy to Support Every Early College Student

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Salem 1B

Early Colleges offer both a powerful opportunity and a complex challenge: ensuring every student is truly known, supported, and monitored across four years and multiple college pathways. At Challenger, we meet this challenge through a cohesive support system that intentionally aligns our Connections seminar course, MTSS, and Personal Adult Advocate (PAA) model. Connections is a credit-bearing course taken every semester, designed with a tiered curriculum that builds college-ready and life-ready skills while monitoring academic and social-emotional growth. Each student is paired with a Personal Adult Advocate from before ninth grade through graduation, creating continuity, mentorship, and proactive intervention. This session explores how this integrated model strengthens equity, reduces fragmentation, and ensures no student slips through the cracks.

Presenters

Jessica Guyer

Student Success Coordinator, Challenger ECHS

Jess Guyer is an alumni of Challenger Early College HS’s first entering and graduating class where she returned a few years later as an English teacher. She has since earned her Master of Arts in Executive Leadership and her National Board Certification. She has recently made the... Read More →

Catie Kale

Lead Counselor, Challenger Early College High School

I have served as a school counselor at Challenger Early College High School since 2018 and bring 17 years of experience in school counseling, including seven years working directly with early college students. While I enjoy working with students at all grade levels, I specialize in... Read More →

Grace Ann Sevier

Assistant Principal, Challenger Early College High School

I have dedicated 24 years to public education within the Catawba County and Iredell-Statesville School Systems, serving students, families, and educators through a variety of leadership and support roles. My professional experience includes two years as an elementary school counselor... Read More →

Dr. Rene Spry

Principal, Challenger Early College High School

This is my third year at Challenger Early College High School, where I am proud to serve as principal and continue my commitment to student achievement and whole-child education. I have 29 years of experience in public education, serving as a teacher and school leader, grounded in... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Salem 1B

Student Supports

global Y

10:45am EDT

Strengthening Comprehensive School Counseling Through Collaborative Planning in Early/Middle College Programs

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Winston 3A

This session demonstrates how Early/Middle College counselors from three campuses established a structured collaborative model to strengthen their Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCPs). Participants will learn strategies for planning annual counseling goals, aligning programming to student needs, streamlining graduation audits, and developing shared tools, calendars, and procedures across school sites. Through interactive work sessions, counselors will explore methods for increasing program efficiency, building shared understanding, and ensuring consistent student support in specialized early college environments. This session demonstrates how Early/Middle College counselors from three campuses established a structured collaborative model to strengthen their Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (CSCPs). Participants will learn strategies for planning annual counseling goals, aligning programming to student needs, streamlining graduation audits, and developing shared tools, calendars, and procedures across school sites. Through interactive work sessions, counselors will explore methods for increasing program efficiency, building shared understanding, and ensuring consistent student support in specialized early college environments.

Presenters

Stephanie Preston

School Counselor, Middle College at GTCC - High Point

LaShana Richards

School Counselor, A&T Four Middle College

Nicole Webster

School Counselor, Early College at Guilford

Tuesday June 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT
Winston 3A

Student Supports

global Y

12:00pm EDT

Lunch and Special Greetings

Tuesday June 9, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT

Salem 2 Ballroom

Tuesday June 9, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Salem 2 Ballroom

1:00pm EDT

Empowering Future Ready Learners with Global A.C.T.I.O.N.

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Winston 3A

Future readiness requires more than academic proficiency. Students must be able to navigate diverse cultures, collaborate across differences, apply learning in authentic contexts, and lead with curiosity and confidence.

• MCP builds independence, mastery, and ownership.
• Global Education expands students’ perspectives and cultural competence.
• Experiential Learning connects classroom learning to real‑world challenges.
• A.C.T.I.O.N. provides the schoolwide culture and habits that sustain these practices.
• The Portrait of a Graduate defines the competencies students develop through this ecosystem.

This session helps educators envision how these elements work together to empower early college students academically, socially, and globally.

Presenters

Melanie Vann

Counselor, Hertford County Early College High School

Cindy Jordan

College Liaison, Hertford County Early College High School

Michael Kinkead

Instructional Technology Facilitator, Hertford County Early College High School

Dr. Glasher Robinson

Principal, Hertford County Early College High School

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Winston 3A

Innovative Instruction

global Y

1:00pm EDT

Teaching Critical Thinking in the Age of AI: Using AI Responsibly to Develop Critical Thinkers and Writers

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Salem 3B

This session supports future-ready instruction by helping educators design instruction that uses AI to deepen critical thinking and writing while preserving student agency, originality, and intellectual ownership.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly present in ELA classrooms; educators must understand how it can be used to strengthen, not replace, critical thinking and writing. I will highlight research-based principles and authentic examples demonstrating how AI use can deepen analysis, support revision, and strengthen student voice. Participants will examine student work, engage in guided discussion, and reflect on next steps for integrating AI in ways that preserve rigor and originality.

Presenters

Wendy Curty

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Salem 3B

Innovative Instruction

global Y

1:00pm EDT

From Overload to Coherence: Driving Continuous Improvement with a Common Instructional Framework

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Winston 3B

Early college leaders are inundated with expectations—state standards, district initiatives, evaluation tools, PLC structures, and professional development mandates. How do we bring clarity to the complexity? This session equips principals and system leaders to design a coherent instructional framework that aligns Essential Practices, professional learning, PLC processes, NCEES, and school/district expectations into one clear, usable document. Participants will leave with a plan to crosswalk key resources with expectations and evaluation criteria, drive targeted professional development, and deploy a framework that sustains continuous improvement.

Presenters

Vance Fishback

Principal, Cabarrus Early College of Technology

Vance Fishback is a veteran educational leader with more than 30 years of experience in public education with a strong background in Early College High School design, launch, and leadership. He has served the last 10 years as the Founding Principal of the Cabarrus Early College o... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Winston 3B

Leadership

global Y

1:00pm EDT

Mission in Motion: Aligning Vision, Goals, and Student Opportunities through the Next Generation Early Colleges Framework

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Winston 3C

In this session, Kassie Mount, founding principal of Dare Early College, will highlight the intentional steps that her team has taken to create a cohesive, mission-driven culture. Participants will learn how the school established a clear mission and vision, used the Next Generation Early Colleges framework to develop School Improvement Team (SIT) goals and professional development priorities, and aligned staff-learning with these objectives. Kassie will also showcase how student opportunities were intentionally designed to reflect the mission and vision, creating a unified experience that shapes both academic outcomes and school culture. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to connect goals, professional learning, and student experiences in a meaningful, cohesive way.

Presenters

Kassie Mount

Principal, Dare Early College

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Winston 3C

Leadership

global Y

1:00pm EDT

Prompt Engineering for Productivity: Automating Administrative Responsibilities for School and Program Leaders.

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Winston 1A

This session is dedicated to making you a more efficient leader by automatingyour office tasks with precision AI. Discover the framework for writing effective prompts andbuild your own policy-aware AI 'clones' for consistent, rapid administrative output, with ethicsand leadership in mind.

Presenters

Dee Lanier

Lead Learning Experience Designer, Lanier Learning, LLC

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Winston 1A

Leadership

1:00pm EDT

From Campus to Classroom: Building Replicable University–Early College Partnerships for Future-Ready Learning

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Salem 1C

Early colleges located on or near college campuses can leverage higher education assets in ways that extend beyond dual enrollment credit. This interactive session highlights a replicable partnership model between Fayetteville State University’s Intelligent Systems Lab and Cumberland County Schools designed to strengthen instructional rigor and college readiness. Participants will explore how faculty expertise, undergraduate mentorship, and research lab resources were activated through structured collaboration. Attendees will map their own partnership ecosystems and leave with practical strategies to build sustainable, campus-embedded collaborations that enhance student engagement and future-ready learning.

Presenters

Sambit Bhattacharya

Ashlee Russell

Chief Learning Consultant, AI Learning Central

Ashlee Russell is the founder of AI Learning Central and a faculty member at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she teaches first-year seminar courses focused on information literacy and ethical AI use. With nearly two decades of experience in K–12 education and... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Salem 1C

Partnerships

global Y

1:00pm EDT

Building Intentional Dual Enrollment & Early College Policy & Programs: What Will It Take?

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Salem 1A

Research, policy, and practice in dual enrollment and early college are increasingly aligning around a central priority: in order for students to realize the most benefits possible out of college courses in high school, programs need to be structured and provide students with intentionally designed college course experiences aligned to their postsecondary or career interests and trajectories. But that's easier said than done! The College in High School Alliance is working on developing a new framework for intentional dual enrollment, and we want to hear from you: what is it going to take to build dual enrollment and early college programs that give every learner the opportunity to advance their postsecondary and career trajectory, and ensure that students are always having meaningful college course experiences in high school?

Presenters

Alex Perry

Coordinator, College in High School Alliance

Alex Perry, Senior Policy Advisor at Foresight Law + Policy, has spent the last decade working in policy and advocacy to advance college access and success for more students through partnerships between K-12 and higher education. A nationally recognized expert in dual enrollment and... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Salem 1A

Research Policy & Impact

global Y

1:00pm EDT

Early Colleges Improve Mathematics College Readiness for Underprepared Students

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Salem 3C

This session will present the results of a mixed methods experimental study that examined the impacts of the Early College High Schools in North Carolina on students’ success in college preparatory mathematics courses in the 9th through 11th grades, disaggregated for academically prepared and underprepared students. The results show that the Early Colleges have improved students’ course-taking and success for all students, but the impacts are larger for underprepared students. The analyses of classroom observations and interviews with mathematics teachers reveal that instruction in the ECHS displayed a mix of traditional approaches and rigorous student-centered instructional practices.

Presenters

Nina Arshavsky

Senior Research Specialist, RECN 2.0, Early College Research Center, UNCG

Nina Arshavsky is a Senior Research Specialist at the Early College Research Center/SERVE Center at UNC-Greensboro. Dr. Arshavsky’s research and evaluation projects focus on STEM, dual credit, and early college model, which she has been studying for over 18 years. Dr. Arshavsky... Read More →

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Salem 3C

Research Policy & Impact

global Y

1:00pm EDT

The Impacts of Early Colleges: Findings from the Latest Research

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Salem 3A

This session will present some of the latest research on the impact of early college on postsecondary performance and on employment and earnings. The audience will then be able to engage around several leverage points that research suggests will further improve outcomes: 1) serving students for whom early college makes a difference; 2) keeping students in the early college; 3) providing varying pathway options; and 4) supporting the social/emotional development of students.

Presenters

Julie Edmunds

Director, Early College Research Center, Early College Research Center, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Salem 3A

Research Policy & Impact

global Y

1:00pm EDT

From Early College to Long-Term Success: What Students Wish Educators Knew About the Transition to College

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Salem 1B

Early college programs expand access to higher education, but what happens after students graduate or go to a higher education institution? This interactive session invites educators and leaders to explore the academic, social, and institutional challenges early college graduates encounter during the transition to four-year institutions and career pathways. Through collaborative mapping, case analysis, and design-thinking activities, participants will identify gaps in current support structures and develop actionable strategies to strengthen postsecondary persistence. Attendees will leave with practical tools and a concrete next step to ensure early college success extends beyond graduation and truly prepares students to be future-ready.

Presenters

Britney Funez-Hernandez

Student, Stanford University

Tuesday June 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT
Salem 1B

Student Supports

global Y

2:00pm EDT

Transition & Exhibit Exploration

Tuesday June 9, 2026 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT

Benton Convention Center Foyer

Tuesday June 9, 2026 2:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Benton Convention Center Foyer

2:15pm EDT

Role-Alike Networking: Counselors

Tuesday June 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm EDT

Salem 1C

The power of any network lies in building strong connections among members. During this role-alike networking session, join peers and colleagues to connect around role-alike discussion of topics important to your work in the early college ecosystem through a facilitated networking conversation.

Tuesday June 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:30pm EDT
Salem 1C

Role-Alike Networking