Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Partnerships topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
College official tells Polk County board dual-enrollment and cybersecurity programs are expanding
Summary
A representative from Isothermal Community College told the Polk County board that dual-enrollment success rates have been high (reported at 94–97% across recent years), the college is expanding cybersecurity and credential programs, and a local scholarship can cover tuition and fees for Polk County residents.
A college representative presented to the Polk County Board of Education on Dec. 9 about expanded partnerships that give local high school students access to workforce credentials and dual-enrollment credit through Isothermal Community College.
The presenter said Polk County students participating in the dual-enrollment Career College Promise program showed high success rates over recent years — 94% in 2021, 96% in 2022–23 and 97% in 2023–24 — and noted that the college moved to shorter, eight-week terms for some courses, which the presenter said corresponded with improved outcomes. The presenter described success as earning A, B or C grades in courses that guarantee transferability to a four-year senior institution in the University of North Carolina system.
The college official highlighted a growing cybersecurity program and investments in classroom technology and infrastructure to support IT and network-security training. The representative said some dual-enrollment courses are offered by Polk County faculty and other courses by college faculty, and that students can exit high school with credentials that help them enter the labor market or continue on to a bachelor’s degree.
The presenter also noted scholarship support for Polk County residents through a local fund referenced in the packet (named in the meeting as the Powis Trauma Scholarship) that covers tuition and fees for eligible recipients. The state was described as covering tuition and fees for dual-enrollment, while home districts pay for textbooks, enabling cost savings for families.
Board members and staff framed the partnership as a way to provide multiple post-secondary options — from direct entry into the trades to preparation for four-year degrees — and urged continued coordination between the district and the college to expand credential and technical opportunities.
The presentation concluded with the college official offering to share program data and materials with the board and noting ongoing conversations between college and district leadership to strengthen the partnership going forward.
