Arts Education Endorsement

• Completion of a minimum of FOUR Arts education credits with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher in each arts credit.

• Completion of a minimum of 40 hours of arts-related activities beyond course instructional hours. 

  • Activities must be approved by the local school board. Local boards are encouraged to work with local high school arts educators to curate an approved list of activities.

  • The hours are completed beyond instructional hours (i.e. the hours during an arts education class do not count towards the 40 hours)

  • The student does not receive any course credit for participation in the activity.

  • Student must log the hours on a form created by NCDPI.

Career Endorsement

• Complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Math I, II, III or Integrated Math I, II, III and a fourth mathematics course aligned with the student’s post-secondary plans. 

• Earn a CTE concentration in one of the approved CTE  Career Pathways; 

• Earn an unweighted GPA of at least 2.6; 

• Earn at least one industry-recognized credential. Earned credentials can include Career Readiness Certificates (CRC) at the Silver level or above from WorkKeys assessments or another appropriate industry credential/certification; and

• Earn at least the benchmark reading score established by a nationally norm-referenced college admissions test.  The student may retake the nationally norm-references test as many times as necessary to achieve the required benchmark score.

College Endorsement

• Complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Math I, II, III or Integrated Math I, II, III and a fourth mathematics course that meets University of North Carolina system Minimum Admission Requirements;

• Earn an unweighted GPA of at least 2.6; and

• Earn at least a 22 on the Reading section of the school-based ACT junior year. 

College/UNC Endorsement

• Complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Math I, II, III or Integrated Math I, II, III and a fourth mathematics course that meets University of North Carolina system Minimum Admission Requirements;

• Complete three units of science including at least one physical science with a lab, one life science and  one additional science course;

• Complete U.S. History/American History or equivalent coursework;

• Complete two units of a world language (other than English);

• Earn a weighted GPA of at least 2.5; and

• Earn at least a 22 on the Reading section of the school-based ACT junior year. 

NC Academic Scholar Endorsement

• Complete the Future-Ready Core mathematics sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Math I, II, III or Integrated Math I, II, III and a fourth mathematics course that meets University of North Carolina system Minimum Admission Requirements;

• Complete three course credits of science including an Earth/Environmental science course, Biology, and at least one physical science course that must include either physics or chemistry;

• Complete four course credits of social studies;

• Complete two course credits of a world language (other than English);

• Complete four elective course credits in any one subject area, such as Career and Technical Education (CTE), JROTC, Arts Education, World Languages, or in another content area;

• Complete at least three higher-level courses during junior and/or senior years which carry quality points such (honors, AP, IB, Dual Enrollment); and

• Carn an unweighted GPA of at least 3.5.

Global Language Endorsement

• Earn a combined unweighted 2.5 GPA or above for the four English Language Arts courses required for graduation;

• Establish proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English, using one of the options outlined below and in accordance with the guidelines developed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction; and

  • • Complete a 4-course sequence of study in the same world language, earning an overall unweighted GPA of 2.5 or above in those courses.

    • Establish “Intermediate Low” proficiency or higher per the ACTFL proficiency scale using the Credit by Demonstrated Mastery SBE policy.

    • Pass an external exam approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction establishing “Intermediate Low” proficiency or higher per the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scale.

• English Learner students shall complete all the requirements of sections 1 and 2 above and reach “Developing” proficiency per the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) proficiency scale in all four domains on the most recent state identified English language proficiency test.