Purposeful (Career) Pathways
Education is the foundation of economic mobility.
Overview
To ensure the Purposeful Pathway framework is executed by the San Bernardino Unified School District by centering the needs of students and families in the district.
The purposeful pathways initiative is a cornerstone of SBCUSD’s commitment to addressing significant gaps in students’ understanding of career opportunities. It aims to achieve this by providing exposure to high-wage careers, aligning academic coursework with key industries, and fostering increased participation in work-based learning experiences. Additionally, the initiative seeks to minimize disparities among high school campuses, ensuring equitable access to pathways across all schools.
Central to this initiative is the establishment of a standard for pathways, branded as “purposeful pathways.” To earn the Purposeful Pathways seal of approval, pathways must meet specific criteria:
- Courses must all be A-G (aligned with UC and CSU standards) compliant.
- Students must be enrolled in dual enrollment or college coursework.
- The pathway must offer an Industry/Academic Certification or Degree.
- It must provide work-based learning opportunities for students.
- Each pathway should be linked to local industry partners.
- Pathways should be marketed with cultural competency in mind.
- They should be exposed to parents through authentic community engagement efforts.
These criteria ensure that purposeful pathways prepare students for success in both academic and professional realms, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the workforce and beyond.
Our Goal
To establish CBA’s in large development projects like the redevelopment of the Carousel Mall site downtown or San Bernardino International Airport projects managed by the Inland Valley Development Agency like the Airport Gateway Specific Plan.
We see CBA’s as a tool to shift large economic development to reflect the communities’ needs, projects like that at the Carousel Mall site and the San Bernardino International Airport which currently have left the community out of decision making leading to possible housing displacement, development plans that don’t include environmental benefits, and project plans that don’t provide local hire and training to build a sustainable local economy.
This Strategy Supports:
Arts
Labor
Education
Environment & Health
Labor
Housing
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FAQs
Why are we doing this?
Logistics and education are currently the two largest sectors in San Bernardino. In the 1980s, San Bernardino faced a profound economic downturn, primarily attributed to the closure of the past two major industries: Norton Air Force Base and Kaiser Steel. We want to ensure we don’t repeat the past, through diversifying our economy we can ensure sustainability for the future.
How do purposeful pathways improve career readiness?
Curriculum includes access to career-development opportunities including job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, career panels, and professional development training. Students will be able to dual-enroll in classes at community colleges around the Inland Empire to gain college credits while in high school.
What industries can students consider through Purposeful Pathways?
Students can consider career pathways in Environmental Studies, Building Trades, Education, Social Justice, Arts and Culture, Entertainment, and more.
SBCUSD already has career pathways. Are they being replaced?
No, this does not replace existing career pathways. The Purposeful Pathways campaign expands upon the existing pathways at school while making sure they are more broadly accessible across the district.
Why are the pathways being updated?
They are not being updated but evaluated. Once evaluated they will be given a Purposeful Pathway Stamp, meaning the pathway holds to the purposeful pathway standards.
Why are pathways important?
We want to ensure our youth have opportunities to thrive within their own community. We want the students to be qualified to work six figure jobs and fill the local job positions to lead our region into a new era of prosperity. If the pathways are not adequate or prepare our students for low wage work we are missing opportunities for workforce advancement. We also want our youth to be given tools for entrepreneurship and the skills to develop and innovate new and sustainable industries.
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