RALEIGH, NC - As February marks National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, Pender County Schools was highlighted Wednesday by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as one of North Carolina’s top-performing school districts for CTE credential attainment.
The recognition came during a statewide press conference held in Raleigh during the lunch break of the State Board of Education meeting. State education leaders shared results from the 2024–2025 CTE Credential Attainment Report, which showed North Carolina students earning a record number of industry-recognized credentials. Pender County Schools was invited to share its work after posting an 88.28 percent credential attainment rate, placing the district near the top statewide despite being the 36th largest school system in North Carolina.
Speaking to board members and education leaders, Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove emphasized that credentials represent meaningful preparation for life beyond high school.
“When our students leave us with a credential in hand, it signals to employers that they are ready on day one to contribute to a dynamic workforce,” Dr. Breedlove said. “Behind that success are educators who believe in our students, set clear goals, and build systems that support them every step of the way.”
The statewide spotlight builds on momentum already established earlier this school year. In December 2025, during the CTE Director’s Conference in Greensboro, Pender County Schools was ranked second in North Carolina for credential attainment, finishing just one-one hundredth of a point behind the top district.
Following Dr. Breedlove’s remarks, Dominique Bates, director of Career and Technical Education for Pender County Schools, shared how intentional planning has driven steady growth over the past three years. During the 2022–2023 school year, PCS students earned 5,218 credentials at a 69.8 percent attainment rate. That grew to 8,050 credentials and an 83.5 percent rate in 2023–2024, before reaching 7,427 credentials and an 88.28 percent attainment rate in 2024–2025.
“Those numbers represent life-changing impact,” Bates said. “They represent students’ lives changing, and even their children’s lives changing. A credential gives our students a competitive advantage in the global workforce.”
Bates explained that Pender County Schools aligns CTE courses with local workforce needs, sets clear credential goals with teachers, closely tracks student progress, and provides targeted support for students who need additional opportunities to earn credentials. Celebrating student and teacher success, he said, has helped shift the mindset so credentials are viewed as an expectation, not an option.
During National CTE Month, district leaders say the recognition reinforces the direction Pender County Schools continues to pursue: ensuring students graduate enrolled, enlisted, or employed, with real-world skills and credentials that open doors long after graduation.