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Planning the Path
Our priority in School District U-46 is to ensure that every student graduates college and career ready. Two structures that support this work in different ways are Educational Pathways and the Magnet Academies. Students may choose to follow an Educational Pathway at their home high school starting in 9th grade or they may apply to, and if admitted, attend a Magnet Academy for their high school career.
Educational Pathways
Educational Pathways are clusters of strategically planned sequences of career-oriented courses paired with required general education courses that lead directly to a post-secondary plan. Educational Pathways are designed to give students and their families the information needed to plan for a high wage/ high demand career. Educational Pathways are flexible and do not require an application. They are a framework that helps students plan their future based on current interests and aptitudes. It is anticipated that many students will make changes in their plans and can choose a different Educational Pathway should that time come.
Each high school will offer the same five broad Educational Pathways. Within each Educational Pathway there are sequences of courses called Programs of Study that vary by high school. Students can participate in Programs of Study hosted in their home high school or work with a counselor to design a schedule that would allow them to travel to another high school should they choose to participate in a Program of Study not offered by their home high school.
Magnet Academies
Magnet Academies are theme-based schools within a school. Each of the five comprehensive high schools in U-46 features a unique Magnet Academy. Magnet Academies feature course sequences based on their themes. This means that many of the electives in the Magnet Academies are required so that students graduate having met the objectives of that Magnet Academy.
Students apply to the Magnet Academies in the fall of their 8th grade year. Students are able to apply to any Magnet Academy no matter where they live in the district boundaries and transportation is provided.
