College and Career Pathways
The Pasadena Unified School District was selected by ConnectEd: the California Center for College and Career and funded by the James Irvine Foundation as one of six school districts in the state to implement a system of College and Career Pathways. The Pasadena Educational Foundation is the recipient of the $1.175 million grant.
What are College and Career Pathways?
College and Career Pathways are “comprehensive programs of high school study that connect learning in the classroom with real world applications outside of school. The pathways integrate rigorous academic instruction with a demanding technical curriculum and field based learning – all set in the context of one of California’s 15 major industry sectors.” For more information on College and Career Pathways and the evidence of their impact on students, visit www.ConnectEdCalifornia.org.
The goal of college and career pathways is for the PUSD to raise student achievement, increase high school completion and postsecondary transition, reduce high school dropout rates – focusing Pasadena’s high schools on preparing students for both college and career. In addition, College and Career Pathways produce graduates who are prepared to meet our local workforce needs in key industry sectors.
The success of this initiative is critical for our students, for our local economy and for our community’s overall prosperity and depends on effective collaboration between business, community and education. Key to the success of the project is PEF's new Director, Business to School Connections who will develop business, institution and organization partnerships for the multiple pathways and work with the schools to integrate the new partnerships into the pathways with an outcome of improving academic achievement and expanding postsecondary options for all PUSD students.
Current College and Career Pathways in PUSD
Of the approximately 5,745 students in grades 9‐12 in 2009-10, a total of 1,167 PUSD students are already enrolled in pathway programs.
John Muir High School
· Arts, Media and Entertainment
· Business and Entrepreneurship
· Engineering and Environmental Science
Pasadena High School
· Visual Arts and Design
· Graphic Communications
Marshall High School
· Information Technology
Blair High School
· Health Careers
In addition, a Culinary and Hospitality pathway will be launched in 2011‐12 at Blair High School and will take advantage of a new central kitchen and student‐run café on Woodbury Avenue.
Vision for College and Career Pathways in PUSD
· STUDENT RESULTS: All students graduate prepared for success in college and career.
· PATHWAY QUALITY: All students have access to a system of ten pathways and at least two‐thirds of PUSD high school students participate in pathways that provide a rigorous and relevant curriculum that links state standards to industry standards and prepares students for success in postsecondary education and career.
· BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT: A sustainable broad‐based community coalition of business and civic leaders exists to provide support for and monitor college and career pathway implementation and align them to the local economic and workforce development needs.
Get Involved
PEF is recruiting for Education Entrepreneur positions to help mobilize volunteer, financial, and in-kind support from businesses within targeted industry sectors for PUSD College and Career pathways. To learn more or apply, click here.
For more information or to find out how you can partner with one of the PUSD pathways, contact:
Kristin Maschka
Director, Business to School Connections
(626) 396-3600 #88102
businessconnections@pasedfoundation.org
More Information
Overview of College and Career Pathways (pdf)
PUSD website on College and Career Pathways
Video - Pursuing Pathways: Deon Shorter and the Business and Entrepreneurship Pathways
Video - Building a Broad Based Coalition to Support Pathways in PUSD, a
ConnectEd production
Economic and Social Costs of Dropouts in Pasadena: One page report from the California Dropout Project.