Pender County Schools CTE earns 2 spots in the Top 10 Statewide Rankings

PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WWAY) — Pender County Schools Career and Technical Education ranked among the top-performing CTE programs in North Carolina, earning two statewide Top 10 recognitions during the 2026 CTE Directors Conference in Concord.

PCS ranked 4th in North Carolina for credential attainment with an 88.94% rate and 10th statewide for total credentials earned, with students earning 8,729 credentials.

The recognition continues a strong run for Pender County Schools CTE.

The district has appeared on a statewide Top 10 list in each of the past four years, and in two of those four years, PCS earned Top 10 recognition in both credential attainment and total credentials earned.

“To be on a Top 10 list for four straight years says a lot about the consistency of our program, our teachers and especially our students,” said PCS Career and Technical Education Director Dominique Bates. “These teachers and students are amazing. They continue to raise the bar and show what is possible when students are given meaningful opportunities to develop real-world skills.”

PCS Superintendent Dr. Brad Breedlove said the sustained statewide recognition reflects the quality of the district’s CTE programs and the work taking place in classrooms across Pender County.

“These rankings are another indication of the strong Career and Technical Education opportunities available to our students,” Breedlove said. “Our students are developing skills that have value beyond the classroom, and our CTE teachers continue to create meaningful experiences that prepare them for what comes next. To sustain this level of success over several years is something worth celebrating.”