New data from the Class of 2025 shows that more than half of North Carolina public school students are enrolling and succeeding in college-level courses while still in high school.
According to a news release, the State Board of Education data shows that 54% of graduates have completed at least one college-level course or exam through Advanced Placement (AP), the Career and College Promise (CCP) program, International Baccalaureate, or other college-level courses while still in high school.
"Having 54% of North Carolina public high school graduates pass at least one college-level course/exam is outstanding and exemplifies our commitment to preparing each student for their next phase of life as outlined in our strategic plan, Achieving Educational Excellence,” said North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green, in a news release.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction says the percentage of students completing college classes or exams has never been higher.
During the 2024–2025 school year, 38% of all graduates enrolled in at least one college course through the Career & College Promise (CCP) program. The CCP program allows eligible North Carolina public high school students to take college classes at community colleges and four-year universities while still in high school.
According to the release, nearly 87,000 students participated in the CCP program during the 2024–2025 school year, an increase of 10% from the previous year.
When enrolled in a traditional high school, students can participate in the CCP program through three pathways, which range from college transfer to career and technical education.
Students in the CCP program can also access college credit through the Cooperative Innovative High School (CIHS), which provides a hybrid high school and college experience.
According to the news release, North Carolina's 138 CIHSs are located on the campuses of North Carolina Community Colleges, the University of North Carolina System and N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities.
Through the 2024-2025 school year, data showed that 6,560 students graduated from the program, with 3,498 earning an associate degree in addition to their high school diploma.
Across all grade levels, CIHS students earned 7,259 industry-recognized credentials through Career and Technical Education courses during the 2024–2025 school year.
The Department of Public Instruction says this is an increase from previous years.
“Through high-quality instructional programming and close partnerships with institutions of higher education, Cooperative Innovative High Schools provide a unique opportunity for students to participate in college-level work while receiving robust support,” said Sneha Shah-Coltrane, senior director of Advanced Learning and Gifted Education at NCDPI. “This program is especially powerful for first-generation college students and has the ability to drive economic mobility for families across our state.”
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The Department of Public Instruction says these achievements reflect the work being done by them and across North Carolina public schools, in collaboration with its higher education partners, to prepare students for the future.
“We want to ensure that every student takes and passes a college-level course/exam and a career-connected course in high school so that they will be well-prepared for whatever future they imagine for themselves. By expanding access to college-level courses, North Carolina’s public schools are empowering every student to see themselves as college material, even if that is not ultimately where they go immediately after high school,” Green said in a news release.
These achievements reflect the work being done across North Carolina public schools and at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), in collaboration with its higher education partners, to prepare students for their next phase of life.
STORY COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOS