WASHINGTON - Gov. Mike Easley has a message for North Carolina students discouraged by the cost and time commitment of getting a college degree.

"You don't have an excuse not to any more," he said Thursday.

Easley said the state and the College Foundation of North Carolina plan to air a public service announcement within days announcing the official launch of the Learn and Earn Online Web site, www.nclearnandearn.gov.

The Web program, a variation of the Learn and Earn initiative that has already begun in 41 locations in the state, would essentially transform high schools into simultaneous college classrooms. Students stay in their high schools while taking some online college classes with teachers nearby to help.

Participants can spend five years in high school and leave with both their diploma and an associate degree.

Easley discussed the program in Washington at a national conference of educators working to double the number of low-income and minority students who get a diploma and earn a college degree.

"North Carolina is leading the way in this important experiment in high school redesign and education redesign," said Richard Kazis, vice president of Jobs for the Future, which organized the event.

Easley applauded the effort to prevent dropouts but noted that high school is no longer enough education for jobs that require just enough skill that they can't get shipped overseas.

"High school does not have a product the consumer wants," Easley said.

"If you had 35 percent of the people who came into your [retail] establishment walk out without buying a product, you would change your inventory. Now, how about if it was free and they left without taking something? That's what we've got going on in high school.

"So we want to take every high school in North Carolina and we're going to make it a college, and we're going to do it through e-learning, online."

College without cost, debt

The Learn and Earn program launched in 2004 allows high school students to earn credit by taking classes at colleges in 41 locations. Catawba County participates in the program. By next fall, 70 high schools will offer the college option.

The advantages include a more accelerated path toward a degree without having to pay college tuition or live away from home. Low-income students who go on to college also might qualify for a program called EARN, Education Access Rewards North Carolina, which coupled with other financial aid could mean they graduate from college debt-free.

Also, with the online version, a high school teacher is on hand to help out. Plus, it frees up space on college campuses, which are increasingly crowded, Easley said.

About 277 high schools have the connectivity to participate this year, and the state's other 129 schools are expected to be fully connected next year.

Easley said he's confident the youngest generation will adapt to the online college courses.

"They'd rather do everything online -- they'd rather get a haircut online," he joked.