(b) A career-ready pathway to a high school diploma shall include:

1. (1) Challenging academic courses, as defined by the minimum academic core approved by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board in consultation with the State Board of Education and in alignment with the graduation requirements established by the state board, including courses approved by the Department of Education to satisfy those requirements; and

2. (2)

   1. (A) Career and technical education programs of study aligned with high-wage, high-growth jobs in Arkansas.
   2. (B) The list of high-wage, high-growth aligned career and technical education programs of study shall be:

(i) Published by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education annually; and

1. (ii) Informed by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education’s annual audit of the state’s career pathways informed by labor market information.

   1. (C)

      1. (i) For the 2024-2025 school year, the list of high-wage, high-growth aligned career and technical education programs of study shall be approved by the Division of Career and Technical Education.
      2. (ii) For subsequent years, the list of high-wage, high-growth aligned career and technical education programs shall be approved by the Division of Higher Education in conjunction with other agencies represented in the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet in alignment with the statewide definition of a credential of value.

   2. (D) The Division of Career and Technical Education may approve a pathway it determines to be high-wage and high-growth for districts that, based on their geographic locations, have a need for a regional career and technical education program of study that may meet high-wage and high-growth thresholds for their geographic area but are not included on the statewide list.

      1. (c)
2. (1) A public school district shall issue a diploma to a student who successfully completes the requirements published annually by the department for a career-ready pathway.
3. (2) A diploma issued to a student under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall be given the same status and recognition for purposes of the Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act, Arkansas Code § 6-15-2901 et seq., as is given any diploma issued by a public school district.
4. (3) A public school district or open-enrollment public charter school shall not be penalized in any manner for students who are issued a diploma through a career-ready pathway.