CTE provides students with the academic and technical skills, knowledge, and training necessary to succeed in future careers and to be a lifelong learner. CTE courses, programs, and training focus on the technical and academic skills needed to attain and maintain high-skill, high-demand careers. A quality CTE experience offers opportunities for learning in Career Awareness, Career Exploration, and Career Readiness to students at a variety of grade levels.
In addition to technical training and career foundations, CTE courses also offer a wide range of additional educational benefits, including critical thinking development, technical literacy, public speaking skills, leadership development, and planning/organization skills. Qualifying courses and course instructors also offer college credit, industry certification, and internships for students.
To see a complete list of CTE course offerings, visit the online Fresno Unified High School Course Guide.
Fresno Unified utilizes several approaches to delivering a quality CTE program. These approaches include Linked Learning, California Partnership Academies, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP).
Linked Learning
Linked Learning Pathways are offered for students in grades 9-12. They provide technical courses integrated with rigorous academics, and combine career-based learning and real-world experiences to make daily learning relevant. Linked Learning Pathways expose students to possible college and career opportunities while addressing employer needs. For students, it answers the question, “Why do I need to learn this?”
The pathways at each of the high school sites are designed around the fundamentals of:
- Rigorous Academics
- Career Technical Education Themes
- Work-Based Learning Opportunities
- Comprehensive Support Services
CTE course teachers and core academic teachers work together in teams with cohorts of students to design rigorous units of study that reflect business and community needs and advance all students’ skills. Students have four years of progressive study in a pathway.
Pathways
- Bullard High
- Duncan Polytech High
- Edison High
- Hoover High
- McLane High
- Patiño Entrepreneurship High
- Roosevelt High
- Sunnyside High
California Partnership Academies (CPA)
California Partnership Academies (CPA) are offered for students in grades 10-12 and integrate Career Technical Education (CTE) courses. Similar to Linked Learning pathways, each year students take classes together, including core academic subjects and at least one CTE course related to the academy’s career theme. A team of teachers works with the same group of students over several years, linking instruction across disciplines and over time. Employers provide internships and other opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom. Fresno Unified currently has 6 CPAs:
| Academy | School |
| Green Energy and Technology Academy | Edison High School |
| ArtVenture | McLane High School |
| Academy of Finance & Entrepreneurship | McLane High School |
| Medical Education & Research Academy (MERA) | McLane High School |
| Health Academy | Roosevelt High School |
| Video Production Academy | Sunnyside High School |
International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-Related Programme (CP)
Offered exclusively at Fresno High, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP) is a framework of international education that incorporates the vision and educational principles of the IB into a unique programme specifically developed for students who wish to engage in career-related learning. IB is internationally recognized as one of the most cohesive, rigorous, and comprehensive college and career preparatory programs available. The CP is designed to prepare students for higher education, an internship or apprenticeship, or a position in a designated field of interest. Students who complete the programme receive the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme Certificate, the certification awarded by the career-related study provider in their chosen field of study, and their secondary school degree. Fresno High offers programs in Construction, Design, and Architecture Technology (CDAT), Digital Media, and Army JROTC.
Center for Advanced Research & Technology (CART)
CART is a college and career prep, half day program for juniors and seniors in Clovis and Fresno Unified School Districts. CART combines rigorous academics with technology, design, process, entrepreneurial, and critical thinking skills. There are several career-specific laboratories in which students complete industry-based projects and receive academic credit for advanced English, science, social science, and technology. Labs offer hands-on and industry standard methods for students to investigate and acquire a variety of skills. The labs are either a morning or afternoon session and last two semesters.
Regional Occupational Program (ROP)
Regional Occupational Program (ROP) courses are a specific type of CTE course that are offered primarily for juniors and seniors and are two periods in length. Many ROP courses offer community classroom experiences where students receive hands-on learning in related industry-specific businesses throughout the Fresno area.