Nevada County Schools Recognized Nationally for College and Career Readiness Curriculum – YubaNet

Report on Local High Schools’ Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals through Career Education

A review of recent accolades awarded to local high schools indicates a strong alignment between their career and life-planning programs and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the implementation of the “Career Choices” curriculum, Bear River, Nevada Union, and Ghidotti Early College High Schools are making significant strides in preparing students for future success, directly contributing to several key global objectives.

Analysis of Program Impact on Sustainable Development

The core of these programs is the development of long-term, skills-based educational and career plans. This approach fundamentally supports the following SDGs:

• SDG 4: Quality Education: Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The programs focus on providing students with vocational skills and connecting classroom learning to real-world applications.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. By equipping students with 10-year plans, the schools are preparing a future workforce with clarity and confidence.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The programs emphasize equity and access, ensuring that all students, including transfer students and those from diverse backgrounds, receive the tools needed for future planning, thereby promoting equal opportunity.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The integration of community professionals, local industry leaders, and alumni as mentors and speakers exemplifies the multi-stakeholder partnerships necessary to achieve sustainable development.

Institutional Achievements and SDG Alignment

Bear River High School: Gold Medal Recipient

For the second consecutive year, Bear River High School has been awarded the Career Choices Gold Medal. The school’s program is a model for achieving SDG 4 by effectively linking academic content to the practical skills required for future employment.

1. Contribution to SDG 4 (Quality Education): The curriculum helps students understand that their education is about honing transferable skills, which is a key target of quality education for lifelong learning and sustainable development.
2. Contribution to SDG 8 (Decent Work): The program’s success is reflected in measurable outcomes, including high graduation rates and college readiness scores, which are foundational for securing decent work and fostering economic growth.

Nevada Union High School: Bronze Medal Recipient

In its first year of recognition, Nevada Union High School earned a Bronze Medal for its intentional and inclusive approach to career planning, which strongly supports goals related to equity and community partnership.

1. Contribution to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): By mandating the Career Choices course for all freshmen and providing targeted support for transfer students, the school ensures equitable access to critical future-planning resources.
2. Contribution to SDG 17 (Partnerships): The school actively cultivates partnerships with community professionals who serve as mentors and judges for senior projects, strengthening the link between education and the local economy.
3. Contribution to SDG 4 & 8: The program integrates financial literacy through budgeting exercises and connects students with industry professionals, directly preparing them for economic self-sufficiency and informed career choices.

Ghidotti Early College High School: Silver Medal Recipient

Advancing from bronze to silver status, Ghidotti demonstrates a sustained and deepening commitment to career readiness that is woven into the school’s culture, highlighting a comprehensive approach to sustainable development education.

1. Contribution to SDG 17 (Partnerships): A cornerstone of Ghidotti’s program is bringing community members and alumni into the classroom, creating a robust network that supports students’ career exploration and planning.
2. Contribution to SDG 4 (Quality Education): The school’s entire culture is built around college and career readiness, creating a seamless educational experience that prepares students for post-secondary success and lifelong learning.
3. Contribution to SDG 8 (Decent Work): The program’s impact is evident in the school’s high rankings in graduation rates and college readiness, demonstrating a successful model for preparing students to enter the workforce and contribute to economic prosperity.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
  
  The entire article is centered on this goal. It discusses how Bear River, Nevada Union, and Ghidotti high schools are being recognized for their “outstanding life- and career-planning programs.” The focus is on preparing students for “success in college, careers, and life” by providing them with skills-based education that connects classroom learning to real-world applications.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  
  The article connects directly to this goal by highlighting programs designed for “workforce preparation.” The curriculum helps students develop “long-term 10-year career and education plans,” which is a foundational step towards securing decent employment and contributing to economic growth. The integration of senior projects involving job shadowing and mentorship with industry professionals further strengthens this link.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
  
  This goal is explicitly mentioned. The article states that the awards reflect a “school’s commitment to equity and access for all students.” It details how Nevada Union’s program is structured to be inclusive, ensuring “every student begins their high school journey with a strong foundation” and providing “targeted support to transfer students—ensuring that no student is left behind.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   
   The article details how the “Career Choices” curriculum helps students create “skills-based plans for their futures.” The programs are praised for demonstrating “strong outcomes in college and career readiness, post-secondary planning, and workforce preparation.” This directly aligns with the objective of equipping youth with relevant skills for their future careers.
2. Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
   
   The core purpose of the programs described is to prevent students from becoming disengaged after high school. By having students develop “long-term 10-year career and education plans,” the schools are proactively guiding them towards continued education or employment, thereby addressing the issue of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
   
   The article emphasizes that the awards recognize a “commitment to equity and access for all students.” Nevada Union’s program is highlighted for its “inclusive and evolving structure” where “All freshmen take the Career Choices course” and special support is given to transfer students to ensure “no student is left behind in developing a personalized plan.” This demonstrates a clear effort to promote inclusion.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 4.4: Graduation rates and college readiness scores.
   
   The article explicitly states that Bear River High School is “performing above the state average in graduation rate and ACT and SAT readiness.” Ghidotti is also mentioned as ranking “above state average in nearly every category, including graduation rate and college readiness.” These are quantifiable metrics that measure the effectiveness of the educational programs in preparing students for post-secondary success.
2. Indicator for Target 8.6: The creation of 10-year career and education plans.
   
   A key outcome mentioned repeatedly is that “students are developing long-term 10-year career and education plans that prepare them for adult life with confidence and clarity.” The existence and quality of these plans serve as a direct indicator of progress in preparing youth for their future economic life.
3. Indicator for Target 10.2: Program participation rates and inclusive program design.
   
   The article implies this indicator by describing how Nevada Union “expanded implementation by launching Module One across all sophomore English classes” and ensures “All freshmen take the Career Choices course.” This universal implementation is a measure of the school’s commitment to providing equal access to all students.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: yubanet.com