Degree pathways bill well-received

State university and college leaders say a new law encouraging high school students to pursue vocational education will not undermine admissions to higher education institutions.

Gov. Pat McCrory fulfilled a campaign pledge last week by signing his first bill, which established three degree pathways for high school students statewide: college, career or both.

The law also aims to decrease the number of students who need to take general education courses at college, said Jo Anne Honeycutt, director of career and technical education for the State Board of Education.

Legislators who supported the law want to increase the popularity of technical programs, such as engineering and industrial technologies, to meet the workforce demands of state employers.

Students who complete the programs will receive industry-recognized credentials or their equivalents along with a high school diploma, beginning in 2014-15, Honeycutt said.

Students will be able to take career and technical education courses beginning in ninth grade. They can take college prep courses, such as Advanced Placement programs, at the same time, Honeycutt said.

All students will be required to take schools’ core classes, and no extra fees will be charged for the technical programs, she said.

“The overall pace of education improvement must accelerate in North Carolina to compete globally for good jobs and provide a secure future for North Carolinians,” said Lew Ebert, president and CEO of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, in a statement.

Randolph Community College has already offered dual-enrollment programs for more than 20 years, said Cathy Hefferin, spokeswoman for the college.

Hefferin said she hopes the law will increase the enrollment numbers for the program as McCrory and leading politicians place more of an emphasis on career and technical education.

Students in these programs are successful, Honeycutt said, adding that the unemployment rate of those students is about one-fourth the unemployment rate of all youths in the state.

Thomas Griffin, director of admissions at N.C. State University, said students in vocational programs will still be eligible for admission as long as they excel academically and complete the appropriate college prep courses.

“If their courses are strictly vocational, they wouldn’t be qualified to come,” he said. “Rigorous programs need college prep courses.”

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.