Inside Union County Public Schools’ “Anti-Popcorn” Strategy for College and Career Readiness

Long before many schools adopted individual learning plan mandates for middle and high school students, administrators in North Carolina’s Union County Public Schools (UCPS) noticed a pattern. Students were "popcorning" around the curriculum, taking a random assortment of electives simply because they were available or sounded fun, rather than taking courses that would help them achieve their postsecondary goals. 

"Sometimes, that can lead to career exploration," said Brian Davis, the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director. "But I wanted it to be more guided, so students could really understand. ‘Okay, if I want to be a veterinarian, animal science classes would be a fit for me.’” 

For the past six years, UCPS has been using MajorClarity to make career planning more intentional across grades 6–12. Now the top-performing district in North Carolina for school accountability, the district is using years of career exploration data to create an efficient and highly effective approach to college and career readiness.

Here’s some advice that Davis shared.

Early Exposure Makes Learning More Purposeful

Does introducing career planning to 11- and 12-year-olds force children into rigid vocational boxes too early? The data and observations gathered from UCPS’s middle schools suggest the exact opposite: early exposure actually serves as an academic anchor over time. 

“Students are really genuinely interested in learning about careers earlier than we expect them to,” said Davis. “A lot of people don’t realize how interested they are, and how hungry they are for knowledge about what’s out there for them to do one day.” For students that age, career awareness is often limited to the professions of their immediate family and acquaintances, but early access expands their horizons.

“The earlier the better,” Davis said, “because it’s just as important, if not more sometimes, to know what you actually don’t want to do.”

Embrace the Power of Strategic Elimination

Discovering that a field is a poor match in seventh or eighth grade prevents students from making high-stakes and potentially costly mistakes later in life. Too often, young people don’t realize a career path is wrong for them until they’ve already declared a major and invested thousands of dollars in university tuition or technical training options. 

"We're not using college as a career exploration tool," Davis said, speaking as both an administrator and a parent of two middle and high school students who use the platform. "That’s a very expensive exploration tool." 

By giving students an interactive interface to virtually test-drive careers, learning what a job actually entails on a day-to-day basis, the district allows them to cycle through interests risk-free. Eliminating three or four unsuitable career paths during secondary studies is a massive victory that saves families both time and money. 

Data Helps to Optimize Program Placement

The benefits of a long-term career planning platform extend far beyond individual student profiles; aggregate student interest data can be turned into a powerful piece of district-wide operational strategy for district leaders. Rather than relying on assumptions or historical precedent to determine where to expand academic programming, leaders can use the platform to track regional interest trends. 

For example, when UCPS introduced a new Teaching as a Profession pathway, funding constraints and limited personnel prevented the district from deploying the program at all nine middle schools, or every high school campus. 

Administrators were able to analyze platform interest data and pinpoint exactly which geographic areas had the highest concentration of students who showed interest in becoming educators. They could then place the programs strategically at the two high schools with the highest demand, ensuring that the pathway would have high enrollment and impact. 

One Digital Space for Applications and Career Planning

UCPS is now expanding its use of MajorClarity beyond career planning. Beginning next year, the district plans to move college planning into the same platform, including Common App integration and Parchment transcript requests. That will streamline several processes:

• It gives school counselors, administrators, and community college career coaches a clearer view of each student’s interests and academic plans in one place
• Advisers can help students connect what they are exploring, what they are studying and what they may want to pursue after graduation
• UCPS sends career plans home annually, giving families a better understanding of available pathways and local career options

Pathways Should Be Kept Seamless and Stackable

True career readiness requires deep alignment between K–12 schools, higher education institutions, and regional industries. UCPS collaborates closely with South Piedmont Community College to cross-reference academic tracks and give students structured, "stackable" pathways that lead directly into the local workforce. 

This model provides multiple entry and exit points for students. Counselors use these clear pathways to guide students toward relevant high school and community college coursework simultaneously. This allows students to earn meaningful industry-recognized credentials and certifications before they even walk across the graduation stage. 

"The pendulum is shifting," Davis said, noting that students are no longer seeing higher education as the default destination. "Students are understanding, 'I don't necessarily have to [pursue a four-year degree], but if I do, let me be strategic and make sure it leads to a good, high-paying career.’"

Key Takeaways for School and District Leaders

• Middle school career exploration improves high school planning. UCPS helps students connect career interests to course choices before high school decisions begin to narrow.
• Early exposure helps students make better postsecondary decisions. Students can explore and rule out career options before committing time or money to pursuing them.
• Student interest data strengthens CTE program planning. UCPS uses career exploration data to identify demand and guide decisions about program offerings.
• Career readiness works best as a connected pathway. The district links middle school exploration, high school planning, community college partnerships, and industry credentials to support clearer student progression.
• Unified advising gives educators better visibility into student goals. By connecting career planning and college applications in one platform, UCPS helps all stakeholders support each student’s next step.

UCPS is a solid example of how career-connected learning can be implemented as a long-term, data-driven framework that inspires students to become active designers of their own futures. Districts looking to replicate their success should explore how MajorClarity plays a pivotal role in expanding college and career readiness for all students.