About me
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 of Technology in Concord, North Carolina, where he has led the development of an innovative early college program focused on expanding equitable access to postsecondary credentials through strong, sustainable partnerships.Previously, Vance was the Founding Principal of Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College High School—the first early college in Cabarrus County and part of North Carolina’s fourth statewide early college cohort launched in 2009. In this role, he helped pioneer the early college model at the local level, building the school from the ground up and establishing the culture, systems, and instructional practices that supported high levels of student persistence, college readiness, and degree attainment.Across both early colleges, Vance’s leadership has emphasized intentional program design, student-centered academic and social supports, and clarity of purpose around helping first-generation and underrepresented students successfully navigate college expectations. His professional interests include early college sustainability, leadership development, culture building, and scaling practices that lead to long-term student success.Vance’s leadership background also includes serving as a high school Assistant Principal for Instruction, middle school Assistant Principal, and business education teacher, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of teaching, learning, and school operations in both the traditional school and Cooperative Innovative High School worlds. His professional interests include early college sustainability, leadership development, culture building, strategic planning, and scaling practices that lead to long-term student success.
