About
Welcome To The Yakima School District
Career and Technical Education Department
The definition of Career and Technical Education (CTE), according to the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, “is a planned program of courses and learning experiences that begins with exploration of career options, supports basic academic and life skills, and enables achievement of high academic standards, leadership, preparation for industry-defined work, and advanced and continuing education.”
In the Yakima School District, we are pleased to offer multiple CTE courses at Davis High School, Eisenhower High School, Stanton Academy, and Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center. We also offer several middle school programs at Discovery Lab School, Franklin, Lewis and Clark, Washington and Wilson middle schools.
CTE is comprised of five major occupational areas. These are Agriculture Science, Business and Marketing Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Health Science and Skilled & Technical Sciences.
Currently, the CTE Department is comprised of over fifty teachers, a Director of Career and Technical Education, a CTE Education Specialist and support staff. We are very fortunate to have a very talented and caring group of professionals who are focused on helping students make a successful transition from high school to the world of work, or continue their education via the military, technical school, apprenticeship or college.
CTE Works for High School Students
- High school students involved in CTE are more engaged, perform better and graduate at higher rates.
- 81 percent of dropouts say relevant, real-world learning opportunities would have kept them in high school.
- The average high school graduation rate for students concentrating in CTE programs is 93 percent, compared to an average national freshman graduation rate of 80 percent.
- More than 75 percent of secondary CTE concentrators pursued postsecondary education shortly after high school.