Charlotte Organizations Formed New Student Support Partnership
Communities In Schools and Road to Hire have united to provide a continuous path from kindergarten through career.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Scholarships
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Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Road to Hire have launched a new partnership to provide academic and career support to local students. The collaboration aims to bridge support gaps for students from their earliest school years through to professional career attainment.
Why it matters
By connecting case management services with college and career programming, the organizations seek to ensure students do not experience drops in support after high school graduation. This partnership creates a structured pipeline designed to help students navigate education and workforce challenges.
Road to Hire has secured over $25 million in college scholarships since 2014, while CIS-Charlotte currently manages case services for 6,000 students across 42 local schools. The organizations maintain a presence in nine Title I high schools.
The players
Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
This local organization provides targeted case management and schoolwide support services to thousands of students in the Charlotte area.
Road to Hire
This organization focuses on college scholarships, mentorship, and career readiness training for students in Title I high schools.
The details
The partnership combines the school-based case management model of CIS-Charlotte with the career preparation and mentorship offerings of Road to Hire. Students involved will gain access to specialized training, including artificial intelligence skill building, alongside academic support and scholarship guidance.
Timeline
The partnership was formally announced on September 24, 2026.
Road to Hire has been operating in Charlotte schools since 2014.
Culture Shift
This collaboration follows the trend of aligning non-profit support with modern workforce development needs. By integrating the Title I school support model with career-pathing, the organizations are shifting the focus from basic academic remediation to long-term career readiness.
Students attending the nine participating Title I high schools can now access a more streamlined path to scholarships and AI-focused career training. Local families should monitor school communications for information on how to enroll in the integrated mentorship and career preparation programs.
The takeaway
Creating a seamless transition from K-12 schooling to professional careers is essential for long-term student success in competitive job markets. Families can support this by encouraging students to participate in career-focused mentorship opportunities as early as possible in their high school years.
Further reading
Find more local opportunities in our Scholarships guide.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EdNC.
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