North Carolina has made aggressive efforts to combat years of disastrous job losses as key industries moved overseas. The target is the state’s public education system. The first step was a focus on preschool through eighth grade encouraging better teacher training, setting standards and making the curriculum more rigorous. The next step looks at high school.

“What we’re trying to provide is the best work force in the world,” says North Carolina Gov. Michael Easley. “Not just in the country