In this edition of Community Connection, School Board Vice President Irene Bustamante Adams offers her thoughts on how choice in CCSD benefits students and local employers.
February is Career and Technical Education/Magnet Schools Month, and one of the things I am proud of as a School Board trustee is the wide array of choices that CCSD offers to students and their families.
CCSD’s award-winning magnet schools are nationally renowned for promoting excellence, spurring creativity, and providing educational equity:
Two weeks ago, the Magnet Schools of America announced that 35 CCSD magnet programs were merit recipients.
Just one year ago, the STEAM Academy at James Cashman Middle School was honored as the top secondary magnet school in America.
It is no wonder that magnet schools are a popular option, enrolling over 33,000 students.
Career and technical education pathways also are growing, including at comprehensive high schools, preparing students to be college and career-ready.
Some of these pathways include advanced manufacturing, construction, finance, engineering, health care, hospitality and tourism, culinary arts, and much more.
The numbers speak for themselves: 56,000-plus students enrolled in career and technical education courses last year.
The bottom line: One of the keys to successful enterprises, including public education, is being flexible so that we provide educational opportunities to children that enable them to succeed once they graduate – whether that is entering the workforce, attending college, or serving their country in uniform.
When our students graduate from high school and are college and career-ready, that benefit inherently extends to our local employers and enables them to succeed, which in turn helps our economy flourish.
