New Jersey’s School Performance Reports, released last week, include a new measurement of the percentage of high-school students taking approved career and technical education classes.

The addition of that data this year is part of a law signed by Gov. Chris Christie last month to raise the profile and resources of vo-tech programs, both in traditional vocational schools but also in comprehensive high schools.

Overall, 19 percent of high-school students last year took at least one course in an approved CTE program during the school year, according to the reports.

The numbers ranged from virtually all students in CTE classes in county vo-tech schools and career academies to just a handful in some local high schools. In between, the comprehensive high schools with the most popular CTE programs were:

• Lower Cape May Regional High School: 74 percent of students took classes

• Lincoln High School, Jersey City: 72 percent

• Salem High School: 70 percent

• Elizabeth High School: 68 percent

• Cherry Hill High School East: 67 percent

Editor’s note: Each day this week, NJ Spotlight will highlight one set of data from the state’s School Performance Reports.