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!
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.
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?
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
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.
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.
Interdisciplinary Days at Craven Early College offer a powerful model for Future‑Ready learning by immersing students in themed, cross‑curricular experiences that mirror real‑world problem solving. In this showcase, participants will explore how grade‑level teams design cohesive, standards‑aligned learning days—such as Journey to the New World, Viva La Revolution, Zombie Apocalypse, and CSI Owl Country—that integrate math, science, English, and social studies into authentic, hands‑on challenges. These experiences boost engagement, strengthen collaboration, and help students apply academic concepts in meaningful contexts, echoing the Next Generation Early College emphasis on innovative instruction, student voice, and active collaboration.
Attendees will see sample student products, hear about planning structures, watch video reflections from student participants, and learn how interdisciplinary days foster deep learning, SEL connections, and future‑focused skills. The session will highlight how this model strengthens teacher collaboration, supports diverse learners, and builds a unified school culture. Participants will leave with replicable frameworks and inspiration to design their own interdisciplinary learning experiences.
Teachers and instructional leaders, join us for a transformative workshop wherewe'll delve into the ethical and equitable implications of AI in education. Through acollaborative design thinking process, participants will explore the potential benefits andchallenges of AI integration and develop innovative solutions to address critical issues.
What does high-quality teaching and learning look like in an early college setting, and how do we move from vision to consistent practice? In this interactive session, participants will explore the Essential Practices Framework as a tool for clarifying and strengthening instruction that prepares students for postsecondary success. Through collaborative analysis and application, participants will engage with key components of the framework and examine how aligned tools—including a teacher self-assessment and classroom walkthrough tool—can support reflection, feedback, and continuous improvement. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for using these tools to build coherence across classrooms and support meaningful learning experiences for all students.
Kristana Rogers is an education consultant at RTI International with over 23 years of experience in K-12 education. She worked as a strategic and innovative school based and district level administrator to support large-scale, sustainable change and positive student outcomes. Rogers... Read More →
Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:45am - 11:15am EDT Salem 1C
How do we embrace AI in the classroom without letting it replace student thinking? This session shares a practical, classroom-ready model for “human-first, AI-enhanced” learning. Participants will see how to redesign assignments so students use AI to deepen understanding, not bypass it. We’ll explore scaffolded prompts, transparency routines, AI-use levels, and assessment strategies that preserve rigor, voice, and academic integrity. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use templates, a course integration roadmap, and concrete examples that help students become AI-literate, ethical, and workforce-ready learners.
This session introduces P.A.C.K. Skills—Presence, Academics, Conduct, and Knowledge, a college-readiness framework developed by New Heights Charter School of Brockton (NHCSB) and used as a college-readiness measure to guide student preparation for early college pathways. Participants will explore how everyday high school choices directly impact high school diploma completion and future college outcomes.
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 →
Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:45am - 11:15am EDT Salem 1B
Activating Excellence introduces a structured, high-impact instructional model that integrates collaborative protocols into daily classroom practice. Participants will explore how Rally Coach, Math Stations, Station Rotation, Jigsaw, and Numbered Heads Together align with the Essential Practice Framework to increase engagement, accountability, and academic rigor. This session demonstrates how structured routines reduce teacher overload while meeting diverse learning needs. Educators will leave with practical strategies to scaffold content-area literacy through gradual release, creating organized, student-centered classrooms where learners actively process, apply, and teach content to one another.
I am a dedicated high school math teacher currently teaching Math 1,2 at Duplin Early College High School. Since August 2024, I have been committed to creating a classroom environment where students feel supported, challenged, and capable of success. I believe all students can grow... Read More →
Felicia Beddingfield has a diverse work background expertise as an Executive Director over a domestic violence & rape crisis center advocating for survivors of violence (primarily women and children) in the court room, in the schools, and community, as a member of the Governor’s... Read More →
Wednesday June 10, 2026 12:40pm - 1:40pm EDT Salem 3B
How can we design learning experiences that move beyond compliance to true transformation? This session highlights a year-long Junior Seminar project aligned to NCDPI’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Participants will examine a scaffolded framework featuring planning, product creation, community outreach, reflection, and feedback cycles. Through interactive protocols and a mini project-sprint, attendees will actively design elements of their own capstone experience. Participants will leave with a customizable blueprint for implementing a Portrait of a Graduate aligned project that fosters communication, collaboration, critical thinking, growth mindset, and personal responsibility in early college students.How can we design learning experiences that move beyond compliance to true transformation? This session highlights a year-long Junior Seminar project aligned to NCDPI’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Participants will examine a scaffolded framework featuring planning, product creation, community outreach, reflection, and feedback cycles. Through interactive protocols and a mini project-sprint, attendees will actively design elements of their own capstone experience. Participants will leave with a customizable blueprint for implementing a Portrait of a Graduate aligned project that fosters communication, collaboration, critical thinking, growth mindset, and personal responsibility in early college students.
