Career & College Promise 2011- Tuition Free College Courses

On Thursday, November 10, 2011, I had the honor of joining Governor Bev Perdue, State Superintendent Dr. June Atkinson, and State School Board Chair, Dr. Bill Harrison at Cato Middle College in Charlotte, NC, for the Governor’s Press Conference announcing the Career & College Promise program. I could not be more excited about it.

Effective, January 1, 2012 students who meet the eligibility criteria will be able to take college courses Tuition Free! The program provides dual enrollment educational opportunities for eligible North Carolina high school students in order to accelerate completion of college certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees that lead to college transfer or provide entry-level job skills.

The program has three pathways: 1) College Transfer – students take courses that are transferrable to all NC public universities and many private universities; 2) Technical Career – students take courses in Career and Technical education career clusters that lead to credentials or certificates in a technical field and provide entry-level job skills; and 3) Cooperative Innovative High Schools – students enroll in a special school like an Early or Middle College.

In 1993, I proudly graduated from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College with an Associate in Arts Degree in the College Transfer Program. That degree hangs above my bachelors and masters degrees and will hang above the doctorate degree I hope to earn soon. It has a place of honor because my community college experience started my post-secondary education. There I left behind the poor study habits I had displayed in high school; I learned to learn. I worked long hours holding down multiple jobs to pay my way through. Thinking about how amazing the experience was for me and now seeing the opportunity for high school students to experience college classes without cost delights me to no end.

Governor Perdue talks with students (Picture Source Career & College Promise Website)

Governor Perdue said,   "Career & College promise will prepare eligible high school students for life after high school – that means college credit for some, and career training for others. Regardless of a student’s plans after high school, Career & College Promise provides focused preparation at no cost to the student." I applaud our governor and the state legislators from both parties who made this happen for our students.

At Cuthbertson High School, we have 56 seniors who are applying to start in the program in January. 56 students will begin their college life before finishing their high school careers. They will receive college credit and honors-level high school credit for their work. This is innovation at its best.  

For more information about the Career & College Promise: http://careercollegenc.org/default.htm