Goal 

Objective 

Action Steps 

Timeline of 

Evaluation

Person Responsible

Priority 1 - Instructional Excellence & Alignment

A. Students will 

graduate 

AEC with an 

Associate 

degree. 

B. Students 

MAY 

graduate with 

an additional 

industry 

certificate or 

courses 

toward 

certification

1. Students 

will pass 

all high 

school 

and 

college 

classes.

1. Teachers will make contact with students at the first sign of falling grades 

2. Teachers will work with 

students on organizational 

skills 

3. Parents will be encouraged to check on students grades 

for both AEC and CVCC 

classes via powerschool 

and blackboard 

4. MTSS meetings 

5. Appropriate MTSS 

paperwork. 

6. Weekly school-based SISP meetings

May 2025 

Principal, teachers, 

counselors

B.Fewer 

students will 

appear 

before the 

MRB board

Student needs 

will be addressed before students are in danger of low grades and a low GPA.

1. Teachers let students and their parents know when 

they are struggling 

2. Teachers will update 

Powerschool with grades 

within 2 weeks of 

assignments being turned in 

3. Students are brought to 

MTSS - 

4. Teachers let Ms. Brown and the counselor know who is 

struggling 

5. The 

counselor/principal/interventi onist meets with struggling 

students 

6. Weekly school-wide SISP meetings

ongoing 

Principal, teachers, 

counselor, school 

psychologist, college liaison, interventionist

C. Students 

will stay at 

AEC for the 

entire 4 years

Student 

achievement 

concerns will be address from the first sign of an 

issue.

1. Regular communication with struggling students and their 

parents 

2. Regular meetings/check ins with struggling students 

3. MTSS process for Tier 2 

and 3 students 

4. Revised student application process 

5. School-wide SISP meetings

EOY 

Principal, teachers, 

counselor, school 

psychologist, college liaison, social worker.

PRIORITY 2 - Family & Community Engagement

Continue 

Relationship with 

CVCC 

Parent Involvement 

1. Increased communications 2. Monthly Meeting 

1. PTO/Volunteer opportunities for parents 

2. Social Media 

3. Events for parents on 

campus 

4. SIT 

5. Parent Advisory

Ongoing 

Ongoing 

MB 

MB 

.

Maintain 

relationships with EAMS and WAMS

1. Counselor visits 

2. Visits to faculty meetings

yearlong 

MB & counselor

Develop 

relationships with Community

1. Parliament Community 

Service 

2. Guest Speakers 

3. Rotary 

4. Habitat 

5. Yearbook Ads

ongoing

Goal 

Objective 

Action Steps 

Timeline of 

Evaluation

Person Responsible

Multi Purpose room big enough to hold all students and staff for assemblies and other activities. 

Space can also be used by other local entities for other 

functions.

School assembly space 

PE Space 

Staff restrooms Library 

Cafeteria

1. Propose idea at AEC/CVCC meeting 

2. Get approval from ACS 

3. Get approval from CVCC 4. Get approval from AC 

5. Secure funding

Break ground

Law or Policy 

Action Requested Rationale

Senate Bill 656 

SBE Policy HSP M-001: “Course for Credit” – 

Required 

graduation 

courses to be 

taken only 

on high 

school 

campus

Align and articulate 

Facilitates primary curricular objective of Learn and Earn Early College High 

NC required courses 

School program to create “seamless, integrated curricula” between high school 

with CVCC like 

and college 

courses, 

Eliminates curricular and instructional redundancy 

granting full diploma 

credit when CVCC 

Streamlines the timeframe for graduation, further advancing Learn and Earn 

courses fully meet NC 

Early College High School program objectives 

SCS curricular standards: 

Maximizes opportunities for implementation of flex scheduling according to 

HPE 110 and PED 142 = 

individual students’ PEPs, offering a wider range of CVCC options to choose from 

credit for Health & PE 

within the enrollment timeframe 

ENG 231 and ENG 232 

Eliminates patterns of tracking and sorting 

= credit for English 3 

Provides greater access to college courses for all students 

ENG 241 and ENG 242 

= credit for English 4 

Allows LEAs to align high school and college courses as they apply to graduation 

MAT 171 and MAT 172 

Facilitates rethinking the design of high school courses of study to better 

= credit for 4^th HS 

prepare students for college and the workforce 

Math 

Blends the total experience of the two institutions and eliminates real and 

SPA 111-112-211-212 = 

perceived boundaries for students 

credit for Spanish 1-2-3-4 

respectively 

Allows for true collaborative planning and teaching between high school and 

college instructors

DPI Testing 

Regulations: 

Designated 

LEA Testing 

Window

Allow separate AEC 

Allows alignment with AEC/ CVCC academic instructional calendar 

testing dates, EOC 

Allows school-based support structures to meet students’ developmental needs in 

courses only 

timely fashion 

Allows for creation of an acceptable testing environment. [Students would be forced to test 

weeks after the end of relevant instruction, schedule testing at odd times of the day, and test in 

unfamiliar – possibly non-academic – surroundings if not allowed to test within their own 

academic instructional calendar.]

23 NCAC 2C.0305(c.) 

Allow AEC student 

Provides additional measures of support for those elements of the 

diverse AEC student population who may need them 

enrollment (with FTE 

reimbursement) in 

Better facilitates service to student populations more accurately reflective 

developmental courses 

of participating LEA student populations 

where necessary to 

establish 

Recognizes need for all students to be prepared for 

prerequisite skill levels 

postsecondary education; eliminates barriers to access 

for required 

Eliminates traditional patterns of sorting and selecting 

coursework 

Eliminates tendency to group or label students in ways that might 

have potential to limit expectations for accomplishment 

Discourages uninformed premise that participating students must 

either enter pre-equipped for college-level work or that they must 

qualify as at risk, having “fallen through the cracks” prior to 

acceptance 

Facilitates opportunities to design flexible program(s) to meet the needs of 

a diverse student body

23 NCAC 2C.0305 

Allow AEC students to 

Fulfills intent of Learn and Earn Early College High School project mission 

and objectives to create a “seamless, integrated” high school – college 

take any college courses 

learning experience starting with students’ entry into the 9^th grade (typically 

in their program of study 

at age 14) 

regardless of their age, 

provided that they are 

Fulfills site-based intent of SB 1225, 2004 Technical Corrections Act, Section 53 

academically 

prepared 

Amends HB 1414 to allow local school administrative units and colleges to 

agree upon the minimum age of students participating in Learn and Earn 

projects 

Further eliminates barriers between high school and college 

Removes obstacles to flexibility and innovation 

Assists program efforts to ensure 100% graduation with both high school 

diploma and college associate’s degree or two years’ transfer credit 

Allows AEC to serve all students grades 9-12 or 9-13 in the same location on 

the campus throughout their entire high school career 

Allows time to develop true lasting relationships with adults and peers 

over course of four- or five-year participation 

Allows time for any intensive academic preparation, remediation, and/or 

additional support as needed by individual students in his/her own 

familiar academic surroundings and atmosphere 

Provides for a “seamless, integrated” program of study 

Provides opportunities to personalize each student’s work on both sides of the 

total program 

Removes artificial barriers to college courses unrelated to student 

academic preparation

NCCCS Admissions and Enrollment 

Policies: 

a) courses scheduled for the primary 

purpose of enrolling college 

students 

b) high school student displacement of 

adults, priority 

enrollment = 20% 

class enrollment cap

Exempt AEC students 

Recognizes and acknowledges fundamental premise behind Learn and 

from these limitations 

Earn Early College High School project: all students have need and 

deserve to pursue both high school diploma and postsecondary 

education 

Removes barriers to AEC students access to all needed courses 

Provides local college flexibility in creation of schedules that 

accommodate needs of both adult learners and AEC students 

Raises level of academic rigor for AEC students 

Fulfills Learn and Earn Early College High School project objectives: 

allows students to receive high school diploma and college credit at no 

cost to student; allows students to enter workforce as highly-skilled 

workers; provides 2 years’ college transfer credit to high school students 

at no cost and makes a bachelor’s degree a realistic and attainable goal; 

Eliminates barriers which might prevent AEC students access to upper 

level courses when sections are limited

CA-1 

SBE Waiver ID 

Waive 

requirements of 

115C-84.2

Waive requirements of 

Automatic exemption applies only to schools operating on 

115C-84.2 

the campus of a community college or university; all others must 

(“Calendar Bill”), 

request a waiver.

regulating the 

opening and ending 

dates of the 

public school 

instructional 

calendar. 

P-1 

SBE Waiver ID

Waive requirements of 

Allowed for 1st year only; after the first year, programs without seven 

paid staff and 100 students must support principals using local 

seven paid 

funds

staff members and/or 

one hundred 

students to qualify for 

state 

support for a principal, 

paid at 

level three. 

CA-1 

SBE Waiver ID 

Waive 

requirements of 

115C-84.2

Waive requirements of 

Automatic exemption applies only to schools operating on 

115C-84.2 

the campus of a community college or university; all others must 

(“Calendar Bill”), 

request a waiver.

regulating the 

opening and ending 

dates of the 

public school 

instructional 

calendar. 

P-1 

SBE Waiver ID

Waive requirements of 

Allowed for 1st year only; after the first year, programs without seven 

paid staff and 100 students must support principals using local 

seven paid 

funds

staff members and/or 

one hundred 

students to qualify for 

state 

support for a principal, 

paid at 

level three. 

NC General 

Statutes Section 

115c-301(c) 

Maximum Class 

Size 

NC General 

Statutes Section 

115-301 (d)

Waive requirements 

1. Will allow flexibility to ad hoc grouping in both skill and content 

areas. 

according to NC General 

2. Diminishes the possibility of whole-school reorganization if student 

Statute Section 115C-301(c)- 

enrollment is significantly higher than student projections. 

Maximum Class Size 

Waive requirements 

1. Will allow for more effective use of staffing, focusing on individual 

strengths of the faculty/ staff 

according to the maximum 

2. More effective teaching/ learning will occur as schools are able to 

teaching load 

operate the master schedule with fluidity, moving students in and 

out of skill groups as assessment indicates.

CU-1 

SBE Waiver ID

Allow student to meet 

School must specify in their application the high school course(s) to be 

replaced and the associated college-level course for which credit will be 

graduation requirements by 

given. Students must pass the college-level course. Students must pass 

substituting a college-level 

the EOC exam only when the EOC is part of the high school exit 

course for an approved 

requirement

high school course, as 

appropriate. This includes 

permitting multi-course 

sequences to meet 

requirements, and 

includes all core 

curriculum areas and 

foreign languages. 

CU-2 

SBE Waiver ID 

TST-1 

SBE Waiver ID

G.S. 15c NC 

Allow school flexibility to vary the 135/150 clock hour requirements 

administrative code 

for awarding a unit of credit based on student performance. 

subchapter 

6D-Instruction 

section.001 (“Seat 

Time”) 

Allow Early College 

Student must score at the 70th percentile or higher on the EOC to 

obtain the exemption.

H.S. student to test out of 

required high school courses 

by taking and passing 

End-of Course Test 

TST-2 

SBE Waiver ID

Allow Early College 

Students must score at least an 85 on the course final exam.

H.S. students to test out of 

required non-EOC high 

school courses by scoring 85 

or higher on requisite final 

exams. 

CU-1 

SBE Waiver ID

Allow student to meet 

School must specify in their application the high school course(s) to be 

replaced and the associated college-level course for which credit will be 

graduation requirements by 

given. Students must pass the college-level course. Students must pass 

substituting a college-level 

the EOC exam only when the EOC is part of the high school exit 

course for an approved 

requirement

high school course, as 

appropriate. This includes 

permitting multi-course 

sequences to meet 

requirements, and 

includes all core 

curriculum areas and 

foreign languages. 

CU-2 

SBE Waiver ID

G.S. 15c NC 

Allow school flexibility to vary the 135/150 clock hour requirements for 

awarding a unit of credit based on student performance.

administrative code 

subchapter 

6D-Instruction 

section.001(“Seat Time”) 

TST-1 

SBE Waiver ID

Allow Early College 

Student must score at the 70th percentile or higher on the EOC to obtain 

the exemption.

H.S. student to test out of 

required high school courses 

by taking and passing 

End-of Course Test 

CU-1 

SBE Waiver ID

Allow student to meet 

School must specify in their application the high school course(s) to be 

replaced and the associated college-level course for which credit will be 

graduation requirements by 

given. Students must pass the college-level course. Students must pass 

substituting a college-level 

the EOC exam only when the EOC is part of the high school exit 

course for an approved 

requirement

high school course, as 

appropriate. This includes 

permitting multi-course 

sequences to meet 

requirements, and 

includes all core 

curriculum areas and 

foreign languages. 

CU-2 

SBE Waiver ID

G.S. 15c NC 

Allow school flexibility to vary the 135/150 clock hour requirements for 

awarding a unit of credit based on student performance.

administrative code 

subchapter 

6D-Instruction 

section.001(“Seat Time”) 

TST-1 

SBE Waiver ID

Allow Early College 

Student must score at the 70th percentile or higher on the EOC to obtain 

the exemption.

H.S. student to test out of 

required high school courses 

by taking and passing 

End-of Course Test 

TST-2 

SBE Waiver ID

Allow Early College 

Students must score at least an 85 on the course final exam.

H.S. students to test out of 

required non-EOC high 

school courses by scoring 85 

or higher on requisite final 

exams. 

TD- TIMS Audit 

Regulations: Efficiency 

Ratings 

(Exempt AEC buses from 

efficiency rating 

formulae for 

participating LEA)

Allow exemption for 

- Allows Alexander Early College (AEC) buses to serve the 

entire LEA area, long routes w/ small ridership, without 

Early College H.S. buses 

incurring financial penalties to the participating LEA 

(Alexander County Schools) - - Eliminates LEA disincentive 

to provide transportation and thereby fulfill objectives for 

diversity and target populations. 

- - Removes possibility of negative impact on district’s 

efficiency rating resulting in loss of or decrease in State 

transportation funding. - - Allows AEC to eat. bus routes and 

assign riders and stops based on both need and physical 

address within the participating areas.

State licensure 

guidelines and NCLB “High Quality” licensure regulations

Allow college 

- Recognizes rigor of academic preparation of College 

instructors - - Recognizes rigor of academic preparation of 

instructors (who meet IHE 

high school teachers in their licensure areas. 

requirements to teach) and 

- - Removes barriers of student access to high school or college 

high school teachers 

courses due to scheduling constraints based on availability of 

licensed in their curricular 

instructors - - Facilitates smooth, seamless movement of 

areas to teach in assigned 

students through the program of study on both sides. 

areas on reciprocal sides of 

- - Facilitates non-traditional faculty departments to favor and 

the 

support interdisciplinary practices and 

program of study) 

structures.