Professional/technical education program
	Barstow High School, a comprehensive high school located in the Mojave Desert, focuses on increasing the number of well-prepared students who pursue postsecondary education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The school has implemented the Project Lead the Way, Inc. (PLTW) pre-engineering program—a four-year series of courses that dovetail with traditional mathematics and science topics and emphasize hands-on projects focused on engineering. Barstow is expanding its PLTW course sequence into a full academy model, including courses that integrate academic and career-technical learning. When fully implemented, the PLTW program will consist of a four-year course sequence of foundation and specialized courses that will expose students to the field of engineering and prepare them for further education in engineering, architecture, and other technology-related areas.
	Students participating in PLTW solve problems by working on projects that connect science, mathematics, English, and technology. Instructors certified to teach PLTW courses have completed an intensive one-week summer training institute taught by postsecondary engineering faculty. They receive additional professional development and assistance from PLTW online and at workshops during the school year. School counselors receive training about PLTW’s benefits and the wide array of technology jobs and careers available to students who enter the engineering field upon graduation from high school and college. By integrating traditional high school courses and PLTW courses, the school provides students with challenging hands-on engineering projects that help them to see how basic principles are applied in the real world.