Breakout Sessions

Kelsey Solomon
Associate Professor of English - WSCC

Rob Pratt
Associate Professor of Communication - WSCC

Culture of Care on the Road: Teaching College in a High School Space

Teaching dual enrollment on high school campuses calls for an intentional culture of care in spaces that faculty temporarily call their classroom. This session explores how thoughtful relationship-building with students and high school counselors, clear communication, and consistent academic standards help bridge the transition from high school to college. Participants will gain practical strategies for fostering trust, supporting emerging college students, and sustaining strong partnerships that honor both institutions while keeping student success at the center. 

GASP! What do you mean I have to talk to parents? And other unique parts of teaching to dual enrollment students! 

This relatively short presentation attempts to cover some of the main experiences in teaching dual enrollment and addresses the differences in teaching to that younger population. The presentation briefly highlights the differences in mental preparedness knowledge expectations, classroom environments, and LMS experiences. Too, this presentation emphasizes the importance of developing relationships with adjacent partners in dual enrollment student education, and reminds attendees that dual enrollment students are, regardless of their differences, well worth the effort.  

Helping Students (and Parents) Understand the Value of TCAT Dual Enrollment - Talking wages, credentials, timelines, and career outcomes

This presentation equips students and parents with a practical understanding of how TCAT Dual Enrollment connects education directly to real-world outcomes — from industry credentials and competitive wages to accelerated career timelines. The goal is simple: demystify the process, highlight the value, and empower families to make informed decisions about workforce-ready futures 

Bridging the Generational Gap: Engaging High School and Adult Learners

This interactive session explores how educators can bridge generational differences to improve dual enrollment engagement by building stronger student access. Participants will gain practical strategies to support a better dual enrollment platform through navigating the challenges of societal biases and stereotypes. Generational cultivation also helps develop classroom management and delivery techniques, assisting colleges with student success.

Team Teaching Research in DE: How Librarians and Professors Can Collaborate on Research Instruction

In this presentation and panel session, WSCC librarians Sabrina Moreland, Audrey Shoemaker, and Julie Lewis along with WSCC professors Gracie Rossie and Kayla Huber will discuss how librarians and professors collaborate in DE classes which require research. Topics will include embedded librarians, email communication, use of discussion boards, database access, and class visits to high schools. They will also examine effective ways to create a smooth transition from high school to college-level research skills.

Dual Enrollment Grant – Behind the Scenes

Please join us to learn more about the Dual Enrollment Grant and the top issues encountered by your students. We'll discuss tips and tricks to best serve your students in receiving the Dual Enrollment Grant.

Matt Hixson
Director of Schools Hawkins County, TN.

Chuck Carter
Director of Schools Sullivan County, TN

Expanding Dual Enrollment Through Innovation: Benefits for Students and District Sustainability 

Join Chuck Carter, Director of Schools for Sullivan County Schools, and Matt Hixson as they share practical strategies for expanding dual enrollment opportunities through creative scheduling, strong partnerships with postsecondary institutions, and intentional program design. This session will highlight how districts can remove barriers to participation while increasing access for students across multiple career pathways, including both academic and technical programs.

Aligning Classrooms to Careers: How Postsecondary & K-12 Partnerships Strengthen Dual Enrollment Success

This presentation explores how intentional partnerships between postsecondary institutions and K–12 systems create stronger, more responsive dual enrollment pathways. By prioritizing relationship-building, shared goals, and continuous collaboration, educators can align classroom experiences with real-world career expectations. Emphasis will be placed on flexibility in scheduling, delivery models, and program design to better meet student and workforce needs.

Successful Early Technical College – Partnership with Clarksville Montgomery County Schools

This presentation highlights the collaborative partnership between Clarksville‑Montgomery County School System, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Dickson, and regional industry partners that drive the Early Technical College (ETC) model. Technical instruction is delivered at TCAT Dickson’s Clarksville campus, where students also complete their academic coursework alongside hands‑on training. Together with industry-supported job shadowing and internships, this partnership creates a unified pathway from high school to high‑demand, skilled careers.

Bridges to Opportunity: Effective Dual Enrollment Pathways and Practices

This session explores strategies for strengthening dual enrollment pathways through effective advising, cross-sector partnerships, and intentional course delivery. Participants will examine practices that connect high schools with Community Colleges and TCATs to expand access, align academic and career pathways, and support student success. Attendees will gain actionable insights for building stronger bridges between secondary and postsecondary education.

Fast Forward to the Future: The Roane State Middle College Model 

This session highlights how the Middle College program at Roane State Community College enables motivated juniors and seniors to earn their high school diploma and an associate's degree through partnerships with school districts across East Tennessee. Attendees will explore the program’s structure, advising strategies, and partnerships, while examining student outcomes and lessons learned from launching and expanding a regional Middle College model.

Dual Enrollment Through Our Eyes: A Student Panel

This student panel highlights the real experiences of high school students enrolled in dual enrollment courses. Panelists will share their perspectives on balancing high school and college expectations, the benefits and challenges of taking college-level classes early, and how dual enrollment has impacted their academic and personal growth. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from students about what it is truly like to participate in dual enrollment.

Michelle McMillian
Manager of Early Postsecondary Opportunities

Dr. Chelsea Rose
Senior Director of Postsecondary and Workforce Strategy - TN Department of Education

Seamless Transitions: Innovating for Impact from High School to Postsecondary and Career

This session highlights key statewide advancements improving transitions beyond high school through expanded Early Postsecondary Opportunities (EPSOs). It features progress in Dual Enrollment with intentional pathway mapping and a new alignment tool developed with SCORE and Diffusion Ventures, alongside AP expansion through AP Access for All to increase access to rigorous coursework. The session also showcases innovative credit attainment strategies—such as Collierville Schools’ partnership with Modern States for CLEP credit—reflecting a coordinated effort to expand access, strengthen alignment, and build meaningful postsecondary momentum

The Do’s and Don’t’s of Dual Enrollment 

After years of field experience serving college administrators, high school counselors, parents, and students, there are dual enrollment do’s and don’ts learned from each perspective. This session will highlight such to improve the dual enrollment experience for ALL involved.    

Best Practice(s) for Promoting & Implementing Dual Enrollment at Your High School

Dual Enrollment programs offer a pathway for expanding access to higher education through your local community college and/or Tennessee College of Applied Technology.  How does your school promote & implement dual enrollment? What has worked well and what hasn't?  Let's network to gain ideas from each other!!

Youth Workforce Initiatives at Walters State: Programs, Partnerships, and Progress

Youth Workforce Initiatives at Walters State: Programs, Partnerships, and Progress Explore how Walters State’s diverse youth programs—from technical workshops to hands-on career camps—provide a vital foundation for the future workforce. This session highlights how strategic community partnerships and early exposure to professional skills empower students to transition from classroom learning to high-demand career pathways.

Brandy Lester
Coordinator of Student Development & Outreach - WSCC.

Ty Ramsey
Coordinator of High School Programs - WSCC.

Faculty Feedback:  The Ins and Outs of Early Alert Progress Reporting 

This session explores the process, challenges, and benefits of Faculty Feedback Reporting. Faculty Feedback is a proactive student success tool that enables instructors to identify and report academic or engagement concerns early in the term. The system connects students with timely support such as tutoring, advising, or counseling before challenges escalate. Attendees will gain valuable insights on how Walters State uses early intervention and collaboration across campus resources to support student success.  

Dr. Victoria Harpool
Senior Director of Strategic Engagement, THEC.

Dr. Deb Knoll
Assistant Commissioner of Postsecondary, Workforce, CTE and Military Readiness.

Partner Perspectives: Forces impacting K-12 and Higher Education engagement in dual enrollment

High-quality dual enrollment must be the result of authentic partnerships between k-12 and higher education.  A key aspect of developing and sustaining true collaborative partnerships is understanding the perspectives and driving forces that bring high schools and high education institutions to the table to provide dual enrollment.  For high schools, dual enrollment is a key indicator for federal accountability around the Ready Graduate indicator in ESSA and state accountability and funding in the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) and A-F Grading system.  Postsecondary institutions also rely on dual enrollment for state funding via the Outcomes-based Funding formula and tuition and fees through the Dual Enrollment Grant.  Understanding how these external forces impact partners is key to building a foundation for collaboration to best serve the students of Tennessee. 

Laura Higgs Kappel, Ed.D.
Research Associate with EDWorks at East Tennessee State University

Jeffrey Moorhouse, Ed.D.
Director of P-20 Initiatives, East Tennessee State University

EDWorks of Northeast Tennessee: How a Regional P-20 Consortium Promotes Dual Enrollment

This session provides an introduction to EDWorks of Northeast Tennessee, a P-20 Consortium of four universities (one public and three private), two community colleges, two Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, fifteen Pre-K-12 school districts, and leaders in business and industry in nine NE TN counties. Presenters will describe initiatives of EDWorks that promote dual enrollment and education-to-career pathways as part of EDWorks’ overall goal to increase educational attainment and improve workforce development.

Dr. Amber Gunnar
Pearson Education
Gates Millennium Scholar
STEM-certified Educator
Doctorate in Education (Professional Leadership) and is certified in Ethical AI Usage and Bias Mitigation.

Level Up Your Dual Enrollment Classroom with AI

Learn simple, safe ways to use AI to enhance your expertise using prompts to differentiate tasks, generate Bloom-aligned questions, surface misconceptions, and create richer classroom discussions. Whether you're looking to improve student success rates, enhance instructional effectiveness, or scale your program with quality in mind, this session provides actionable insights and real-world examples to help you move forward.