2026 Early College Summit

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. 

Slide Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FQIpxTB6JqQVxCQ99um_qQnQVm3FowPJJa25541TCEY/edit?usp=sharing

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!

In this session, Texas school and higher education leaders will discuss their journey to enhance dual credit pathway programs. This collaborative group has strengthened existing programs and engaged every educational level from K-12 to state agencies.

Our facilitator will guide panelists in exploring how regional collectives strengthen dual credit pathways and four-year programs. [Original focus was on Teacher Preparation.] Panelists include leaders from school districts, community colleges, bachelor's programs, and Educate Texas, a statewide organization advancing public education reform.

This session provides foundational strategies to help participants establish regional learning communities and streamline academic pathways for all students.

Do you work with students who are driven to do good things in the world, help people, and who want to be guided in their work by a sense of passion? They could be a good fit for NC's newly-launched NC Public Service Leadership Program (PSLP). In this session, learners will gain a robust knowledge about NC’s Public Service Leadership Program’s pre-BSW certificate, including its origins, its curriculum, its benefits for early college students, how to connect interested students to the program, and how interested early college staff and leaders can get involved with the program’s development and stewardship.

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.

The University of Kentucky Next Gen Scholars Program (NXGS) has expanded a deeper learning early college (DLEC) model designed to increase dual credit access for high school students. By leveraging strong partnerships, collaborative networking, professional learning opportunities, innovative early college structures, deeper learning practices, and technology, the program broadens students' opportunities statewide. This session will highlight how the DLEC model reduces barriers to entry, scales dual credit offerings through flexible instructional delivery models, and provides comprehensive student support and professional training for dual credit educators. The DELC model enhances the high school experience and increases DC participation statewide.

This session will explore the history and growth of Quincy’s Early College High School Pathway, which began in Fall 2021. Presenters will share the ways in which Quincy High School, North Quincy High School, and Quincy College have worked together to provide students with strong post-secondary opportunities and ongoing support, made possible by Early College High School. Built on a strong, collaborative partnership, leaders and educators from Quincy College and Quincy Public Schools look forward to leading a dynamic and informative session. This session will explore the history and growth of Quincy’s Early College High School Pathway, which began in Fall 2021. Presenters will share the ways in which Quincy High School, North Quincy High School, and Quincy College have worked together to provide students with strong post-secondary opportunities and ongoing support, made possible by Early College High School. Built on a strong, collaborative partnership, leaders and educators from Quincy College and Quincy Public Schools look forward to leading a dynamic and informative session. 

This session examines how near-peer Teaching Fellows advance innovative instructional practice, individualized student support, and authentic IHE partnerships. National Education Opportunity Network Teaching Fellows—undergraduate and graduate students from partner institutions—support college-level coursework through synchronous recitations, small-group instruction, and academic coaching that build student self-efficacy, college-going identity, and persistence. Participants will explore how this role differs from traditional faculty, teaching assistants, or tutors, and how near-peer models operationalize framework priorities around personalization, collaboration, and postsecondary readiness, particularly for first-generation and underrepresented students.

High school can be stressful—academics, activities, relationships, and future plans can all feel overwhelming at times. A Health & Wellness Day provides a proactive, preventive approach to supporting the whole student—addressing mental, emotional, and physical health as essential components of academic success.This session explores the rationale behind implementing a Health & Wellness Day for your school and leave with a clearer understanding of why prioritizing student wellness is not an “extra,” but a necessary investment in student success.