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Each year at both OCS high schools, one out of four AP courses is combined with <br />another course. Each year 2 to 3 are not offered because of staffing demands when <br />student numbers are low. It is not cost effective to offer courses to three or four <br />students. <br />A significant number of vocational and technical courses are offered in both <br />districts, although both districts report that few students pursue the Career /Tech <br />pathway (e.g., 18 OHS graduates in 2004; 20 in CHCCS and ECHHS). In CHCCS, courses are <br />offered in the areas of Marketing and Business (e.g., Business Law, Computerized <br />Accounting), Technology (e.g., Network Engineering, Web Page Design), and Family /Career <br />(e.g., Clothing Design, Teen Living, Woodworking). In OCS, courses are offered in eight <br />career and technical education programs. Programs and courses include: Agro- science and <br />Natural Resources Technologies (e.g., agriculture mechanics, horticulture); Business <br />Technologies (e.g., accounting, e- commerce); Commercial and Artistic Production (e.g., <br />apparel development, drafting); Construction Technologies (e.g., drafting, furniture & <br />cabinetmaking); Engineering Technologies (e.g., computer applications, networking); Health <br />Sciences (e.g., allied health sciences); Public Services Technologies (e.g., early childhood <br />education, cosmetology); and Transportation System Technologies (e.g., auto technology). <br />Schools in CHCCS and OCS partner with Durham Technical Community College for additional <br />technical course offerings. <br />In CHCCS, partnerships with the National Academy Foundation (a nonprofit 502(c)3 <br />intermediary organization) provides "school within a school" academies in finance and <br />information technology. These three -year academies provide specialized curricula and <br />work -based experiences (i.e., six -week paid summer internship between junior and senior <br />years) for interested students. East Chapel Hill High School hosts the Academy of <br />Information Technology (AOIT), and Chapel Hill High School hosts the Academy of Finance <br />(AOF). <br />Even though this is a brief description of the rich and varied high school offerings <br />available in each district's high school program, it is clear that both districts provide many <br />and varied educational opportunities to students whose interests and abilities vary and grow <br />more distinct and differentiated as they mature. <br />Dropouts <br />As indicated in Table 40, 2002 -03 dropout figures for 9th -12th graders show 5.81% <br />for OCS and .99 for CHCCS. Across the state the percentage is 4.78. The chart shows the <br />state and CHCCS percentages diminishing every year; whereas the OCS rate fluctuates: <br />5.2% in 2001, 4.22% in 2002, and 5.81% in 2003. <br />CHCCS /OCS Final Report 60 <br />