Dive Brief:

• Nearly 20% of New Jersey's high school students enrolled in at least one career and technical class last year, according to New Jersey’s latest School Performance Reports released last week.
• The news follows Gov. Chris Christie's recent signing of a bill meant to raise the profile and resources of these programs in both traditional vocational schools and regular high schools.
• As the nation's economy shifts, career and technical courses have increased in popularity.

Dive Insight:

New Jersey is not alone in ushering in more courses that focus on skills and actual careers. For example, in Michigan, Gov. Rick Snyder approved an amendment in June allowing students to take welding or another career and technical education class in place of the traditional Algebra II requirement to graduate.