![Sophomore student Brianna Ramirez adjusts a halter on a horse named Chewie at the Madera South High School 20-acre farm on April 2, 2024. Students raise livestock and grow oranges, corn, and pumpkins for school lunches and for the community as part of the school’s agriculture pathway, one of thousands of career-focused courses in California high schools. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local](https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/040224-Madera-Highschool-Farm-LV_45.jpg?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
K-12 Education
More California high school students want career training. How the state is helping
More of the state’s high school students are enrolling in career pathway programs for skilled, high-wage jobs.
California was built on optimism and innovation, yet too often we focus on the negative experiences of those who live and work here without addressing the opportunities for them to participate in our thriving economy. In the What’s Working series, CalMatters reports on the stories and events that explore public and private efforts to create new opportunities for economic and social mobility.