In 2005, North Carolina added Networking Academy coursework to its honors credit list, enabling Networking Academy students who successfully completed CCNA 3–4 to earn weighted grade points based on a 5.0 scale rather than the standard 4.0 scale. Citing the rigor of the coursework and preparation for industry certification, this marked the entry of career and technical courses to the honors credit list in North Carolina.

“Honors courses, especially those from the Cisco Networking Academy, offer our students more opportunities to reach for the most rigorous coursework and be rewarded accordingly. It also requires a higher level of involvement and commitment by the instructor.”

Dr. June Atkinson, North Carolina State Superintendent

With the introduction of CCNA Discovery and CCNA Exploration this year, David Barbour, North Carolina Education Consultant working with Career and Technical Education programs and a former Networking Academy instructor, is very excited about new opportunities for students. Besides being more engaging than the previous curriculum, Barbour says that the Networking Academy encourages pathways to postsecondary education and careers and helps meet revised Perkins requirements. “Perkins legislation requires valid, secure assessments and industry certification with increases in percentages of students earning certification each year. The CCENT certification and additional security on the final exam meet these requirements.” In addition, North Carolina has a statewide articulation agreement between North Carolina high schools and community colleges for up to four college credits for Networking Academy coursework completed in the high school. Learn more: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/cte/publications/articulation/Articulation05.pdf

The North Carolina high school model includes Network Engineering Technology 1 (CCNA Discovery 1 and 2) and Network Engineering Technology 2, which starts with a 20-hour preparation for CCENT certification and then moves into CCNA Exploration 2. Students who take Network Engineering Technology 2 are eligible for honors credit. The course also provides a pathway to North Carolina’s community colleges, which have adopted the CCNA Exploration curriculum.  One other option is being proposed for next year—adding an honors version of Network Engineering Technology 1 with CCNA Exploration 1.

Barbour is enthusiastic about the new Networking Academy curriculum and what it can do in North Carolina, which was one of the first states to adopt the program (it did so in 1997). “I see this as an opportunity to reestablish and renew the Cisco Networking Academy in North Carolina, both for instructors and for students.”