SALISBURY — At a recent Rowan-Cabarrus Community College board of trustees gathering, the college hosted Rowan-Salisbury School System leadership and school board members for a conversation on ways to improve high school to college completion.

“We have a truly great opportunity here to help more of our current high school students achieve their goals of a college education. Getting started on a college education while still in high school is the best way to do that because it is tuition-free,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus.

There have been serious conversations at the national level about strengthening the relationships between high schools and community colleges to include two years of community college free for responsible first-time students. Thus, local discussions like this to improve partnerships and awareness are vitally important.

“I am thrilled to have a strong relationship with our local community college,” said Dr. Lynn Moody, superintendent of the Rowan-Salisbury School System. “Rowan-Cabarrus is a critical asset for developing our local workforce, and I hope to see even more of our students taking advantage of these tuition-free college classes or continuing their education there after they graduate from high school.”

This tuition-free program for high school juniors and seniors gives students the opportunity to get a “jump start” on a two-year or four-year degree while still in high school.

“The Career & College Promise program has approximately 575 traditional high school students in Rowan and Cabarrus counties who have simultaneously enrolled in high school and college so that they can receive both high school and college credit for courses taken as part of the program,” said Spalding.

Rowan-Cabarrus offers options for students to get a head start in careers like fire protection, cosmetology, criminal justice, machining, web technologies, welding and more.

Further, many of the college transfer classes are weighted just like honors classes, making them a great alternative to Advanced Placement courses.

“We want our community to be aware of this program,” said Dr. Michael Quillen, vice president of the college’s academic programs. “We want to do everything we can to ensure that high school students and their parents know about this opportunity as early as possible so that they can stay engaged earlier in high school and on track with their education.”

Unlike the early college programs, this allows students to remain involved in their high school. They can stay active in sports and engage in all of the regular extracurricular activities, while taking college and high school courses simultaneously.

There are two tracks for the Career & College Promise program – one allows students to specialize in a career or technical pathway, while the other allows students to prepare for general transfer onto a four-year college or university.

The college has also improved its offerings by providing dedicated classes and sections that fall within the high school schedule in both counties. These classes include English, sociology, and other core transfer classes that transfer seamlessly within the North Carolina university system.

Upon meeting eligibility requirements, students may enroll in a college transfer pathway or a career-technical pathway. Eligible students may choose to enroll in a college transfer pathway, as well as a career technical pathway. Students also have the option to change pathways of study each semester.

For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, visit www.rccc.edu/ccp or call 704-216-7222.