Cabarrus/Kannapolis Early College is a joint effort between Cabarrus County, Kannapolis City Schools, and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College located on RCCC's South Campus in Concord.

It opens to the first class of ninth graders in the Fall of 2009. Early College students will spend a total of four or five years in Early College before graduating with a high school diploma and a two-year associate degree or up to two years of transferrable credit.

Cabarrus/Kannapolis Early College is an intensive academic program that offers a choice of an Associate in Arts & Science or Associate in Science degree with a focus on providing powerful teaching and unique learning opportunities.

Instead of attending a regular high school, students take all high school and college courses on RCCC's South Campus in Concord.

Vance Fishback is the principal of the Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College.  Fishback is a resident of Kannapolis and has worked in both the Kannapolis City and Cabarrus County School systems.