Career Pathways
Career Technical Education (CTE)
Career Technical Education (CTE) Additions and Revisions: Several new and revised CTE courses are being introduced to strengthen pathways and expand hands-on, career-aligned learning:
- Cosmetology 1: The introductory course of a three-year cosmetology pathway, giving students foundational skills, health and safety training, and progress toward the 1,000 hours required for state licensure.
- Infant and Toddler Care and Education: An added option within the Early Childhood Education pathway focused on child development, with opportunities to earn paraeducator certification, CPR, mandated reporter certification, and the Associate Teacher certificate.
- Introduction to Cybersecurity: An update to the Computer Science pathway designed to reflect current industry needs, emphasizing network security, simulated attacks, and defensive tools. The pathway is exploring alignment with CompTIA Security+ certification.
Agriculture Pathway Enhancements: Two agriculture courses will now include dual enrollment with Cuesta College beginning in 2026–27:
- Introduction to Livestock: Focused on practical animal science applications, with certifications in Fundamentals of Animal Science, animal CPR, and CareerSafe OSHA Credential
- Introduction to Plant Science: Replaces Environmental Horticulture, introducing students to agriculture, viticulture, and horticulture career pathways. Certification options will be determined with the future capstone course.
Science Pathway Revision: Biology will serve as the first course in a redesigned three-year science sequence (Biology → Chemistry → Physics), shifting to an inquiry-based, phenomenon-driven model aligned with college- and career-readiness standards.
VAPA Expansion: Two new Visual and Performing Arts courses are proposed to broaden creative opportunities for students:
- Perspectives of Animation: A second-year animation course focused on advanced perspective techniques for figurative and character drawing.
- Vocal and Instrumental Jazz: An introductory jazz performance course emphasizing improvisation, ensemble skills, and interpretation of classic and contemporary jazz literature.
