PORTERVILLE, Calif. – Six Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) Pathways programs have earned 2020 NAF Distinguished status, the top mark possible for a single program. Each program is assessed by NAF staff and given an overall score based on four categories: academy development and structure, advisory board, curriculum and instruction, and work-based learning.
The six programs are: Academy of Engineering (AOE) at Harmony Magnet Academy, Academy of Performing Arts (APA) at Harmony Magnet Academy, Emerging Agricultural Technology (EAT) at Strathmore High School, Law, Justice, and Ethics (LJE) at Granite Hills High School, Porterville Academy of Business and Finance (PAB) at Porterville High School, and Porterville Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) at Porterville High School.
Only four other programs in California earned Distinguished status.
A subset of these high performing academies reaches additional thresholds to earn Distinguished level – NAF’s highest level of achievement. One hundred thirty-five academies in the NAF network have reached Distinguished level, with 91 of these academies having reached this level more than once and 44 being new to the roster.
“We are pleased to be able to attain and sustain the level of Distinguished status for our pathway program,” Director of PUSD Pathways Cindy Brown said. “The support of PUSD, our community of educators and partners, and national support from the NAF organization, has been essential in this coordinated effort to strive for excellence.”
“This is a great tribute to our dedicated teachers and Pathways staff,” PUSD Governing Board President Lillian Durbin said. “Our students deserve the opportunity to earn the best education possible and the Pathways program enhances their overall educational experience. We are particularly pleased to see programs at Strathmore High and Granite Hills High reach this level of excellence.”
NAF Chief Executive Officer, JD Hoye, said, “At a time of great uncertainty and rapid changes in education, we are proud to celebrate these outstanding academies for the work they are doing to support student success. Congratulations on this terrific accomplishment and we look forward to your continued achievements.”
The Pathways Program at Porterville Unified School District provides an exciting, innovative and powerful learning environment for students. Students can apply what they are learning in a project-based, “real world application” instructional program. By combining demanding career technical training with rigorous academic standards-based teaching, the goal of Pathways is for students to graduate college and career ready with a greater advantage of post-secondary learning options, whether college, technical, or workplace.