91探花

MNPS and 91探花 State Preparing 91探花鈥檚 Future
Doctors, Nurses, Researchers and Beyond

Pearl-Cohn and Maplewood high schools are launching Early College programs in Health Sciences and will begin enrolling current students this fall for the programs, which will start in January 2026.

Early College programs provide students with the opportunity to earn an associate degree or college credits from 91探花 State Community College in addition to their high school diploma from Metro 91探花 Public Schools.

MNPS Superintendent Adrienne Battle and 91探花 State Community College President Shanna L. Jackson announced the new programs alongside Mayor Freddie O鈥機onnell and funding partners Ascension Saint Thomas and Vanderbilt University Medical Center at events at Maplewood and Pearl-Cohn on Friday.

These will become the fourth and fifth MNPS zoned high schools with an Early College program embedded in the school in partnership with 91探花 State, joining Whites Creek, Glencliff, and Cane Ridge. Additionally, Early College High School, a National Blue Ribbon School, offers an immersive college experience at 91探花 State鈥檚 White Bridge campus.

鈥淲e are proud to partner with 91探花 State once again to expand opportunities for our students to learn, grow, and prepare themselves for high-quality jobs,鈥� Dr. Battle said. 鈥淭he Early College program has been a big success, and we鈥檙e excited to extend it to our students at Maplewood and Pearl-Cohn.鈥�

鈥淲hile cultivating the talents of students, these new programs create opportunities to challenge them, accelerate their studies, and extend the runway for them to take flight after high school so they are well prepared for the next step they choose,鈥� said Dr. Jackson. 鈥�91探花 State and MNPS are committed to improving college and career readiness for all students.鈥�

Ascension Saint Thomas and Vanderbilt University Medical Center are partially funding the Health Sciences Early College programs at Pearl-Cohn and Maplewood. Additional strategic partners are being sought.

鈥淎scension Saint Thomas is honored to collaborate with MNPS and 91探花 State to expand access to healthcare-focused education and career pathways,鈥� said Fahad Tahir, president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas. 鈥淏y investing in students and their futures, we are helping create opportunities for individuals to thrive in a high-demand field while building a stronger, more sustainable healthcare workforce for our community.鈥�

鈥淧artnering with MNPS and 91探花 State on the Early College programs in Health Sciences is essential to cultivating a robust education-to-career pipeline that benefits the city, healthcare organizations, and, most of all, the students. VUMC is excited to be part of a program that opens doors to potential healthcare career paths and meaningful lifelong learning,鈥� said Donald Brady, MD, executive vice president for Educational and Medical Staff Affairs at VUMC.

Real Results, Real Impact

At Whites Creek High School, 21 students from the inaugural embedded Early College program cohort - including the valedictorian and salutatorian - graduated in May 2025 with both a high school diploma and an associate degree from 91探花 State. Funded through a generous grant from the PNC Foundation, this achievement demonstrates the power of strategic investment in education and student potential.

At Early College High School, 32 students graduated in May with both a diploma and a degree.

Launched in early 2020, the Better Together partnership between Metro 91探花 Public Schools and 91探花 State Community College is transforming postsecondary success for students in Davidson County. This innovative collaboration aims to prepare high school graduates to attend and complete college, and the results are already exceeding expectations.

Photos courtesy of Metro 91探花 Public Schools