Pathways Improvement Scope
Environmental Charter High School-Gardena (ECHSG) opened in 2021 and was modeled after its sister school, Environmental Charter High School-Lawndale (ECHSL). With a mission to reimagine public education by using the environment as an interdisciplinary framework, ECHSG currently serves 465 9th-12th grade students, of which 84% qualify for free or reduced lunch, 11% are English learners, and 14% are students with disabilities (note: in the 2023-24 school year, ECHSG enrolled 350 9th-11th graders and was not at full capacity). Despite being a relatively new school, ECHSG students are already excelling on state tests and internal assessments. While the exact percentage of seniors admitted to 4-year universities will be finalized in spring with our first graduating class, we are confident that ECHSG will replicate the success of ECHSL, where 98% of students graduate having completed all A-G requirements and 90% are admitted to college.
ECHSG’s proximity to El Camino College (ECC) also presents a significant advantage for students who have historically faced barriers to accessing college-level coursework. Although ECC is 413 feet from our campus, currently, only 1% of ECHSG students have completed a course there. However, with the introduction of the Climate Action Pathway (CAP) via an Integrated Program of Study (IPS) that number will dramatically increase as this program both aligns with our environmental mission and allows students to earn postsecondary credit with support.
Students will be provided with a structured academic plan, along with job-training, and hands-on work-based skills, and will be guided toward careers in the growing green economy. In fact, the Strong Workforce Program Regional Plan projects the creation of over 4 million green jobs in California by 2030, with a concentration in South Los Angeles. But despite significant investment in environmental initiatives, the ECHSG community continues to face high unemployment and limited access to job training programs. This grant aims to close those gaps by integrating ECC’s Sustainable Design Pathway into our curriculum, providing valuable employability knowledge and competencies in areas such as Sustainability and Environment, Community and Regional Planning, and Landscape Architecture. By earning college credits in high school, students will reduce the financial burden of higher education and be better prepared for high-demand careers in the workforce.
Goals & Priorities
ECHSG is committed to preparing students for careers in the green economy through a new Climate Action Pathway. By integrating post-secondary credits from El Camino College’s (ECC) Sustainable Design Pathway (SDP) into our high school curriculum, students will graduate with both academic knowledge and practical job-related skills. To achieve this, we will review and revise our existing program to align with the SDP, while addressing content gaps so students acquire the knowledge, technical expertise, and work-based experiences they need to be successful in college and the workforce. Project activities include:
Curriculum Revision and Alignment: ECHSG will collaborate with stakeholders, including our Advisory Board and Pathway Coordinator, to review our current science and STEM course offerings. We will identify gaps between our curriculum and ECC’s SDP, and revise the scope and sequence to ensure students are well-prepared for ECC’s college-level coursework. This alignment embeds the skills, sustainability practices and technical knowledge needed to be successful in the green economy.
Integration of Work-Based Skills: To ensure students are ready for both college and the workforce, we will embed work-based learning experiences directly into coursework, including career assessments, resume-building, interview preparation, and professional communication, to prepare them for internships, apprenticeships, and job shadowing opportunities.
Interdisciplinary Projects: The Senior Capstone and grade-level Intersession projects will be revised to focus on sustainability and green career pathways. These hands-on, interdisciplinary projects allow students to apply their academic knowledge to real-world problems, enhancing their preparedness for ECC’s SDP and future employment.
Dual Enrollment Courses with Built-In Support: Through a College & Career Access Pathway Partnership (CCAP) with ECC, we will offer a structured sequence of dual enrollment courses on our campus. To ensure students are successful in these college-level classes, a Dual Enrollment Support Teacher (DEST) will be hired to collaborate with ECC professors to provide individualized supports.
Professional Development: To implement this revised curriculum, we will provide PD for educators to enhance their knowledge and teaching skills related to ECC’s SDP content. This includes the acquisition of CTE credentials and training to become a dual enrollment instructor and create a seamless learning experience.
Additional CCD Partners