Who Let the Cattle Out? Chicago Public School Students

CHICAGO – When the morning bell rang today at a Southside Chicago school, students weren’t reaching for their notebooks. Instead, they swapped sneakers for rubber work boots and headed out to muck goat stalls, feed the alpacas, and let the cattle out to graze. Inside the building, food scientists in training folded new ingredients into their sourdough starters, while down the hall horticultural students worked beneath warm greenhouse lights to weave fresh twigs into holiday wreaths.
This sort of hands-on learning, a hodge-podge of highly skilled mentorship wrapped into one facility that is like no other across Chicago, is the reason why nearly all students – 98 percent to be exact – at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (CHSAS) graduated last year with Career and Technical Education (CTE) certificate. Across the board, it is putting hundreds of Chicago Public School (CPS) students each year on a faster track to careers of their choice.
“When you see students tending to livestock, working alongside a master gardener, or making sourdough starter in a full-sized kitchen, it brings to life why CPS invests so deeply in real-world learning experiences,” said Dr. Macquline King, CPS’ Interim CEO/Superintendent. “We are not just providing curriculum and classrooms. Our mission is to offer world class, immersive learning environments where students can see, feel, and grow their potential in whatever future they dream of.”
Across CPS, CTE credential attainment continues to rise sharply, nearly tripling since 2019. In 2025, 1,794 graduates earned a record 2,758 certifications ranging from Adobe and CISCO IT Essentials to Basic Nursing Assistant, Snap On Multimeter, and the OSHA Construction Industry Exam.
Attaining CTE credentials are among several early college and career milestones that the District tracks to ensure that CPS students are prepared to succeed beyond high school graduation. Under Success 2029: Together We Rise, the District’s five-year strategic plan, CPS leaders set a goal to increase the percentage of high school graduates earning advanced course credits and career credentials from 49 percent in 2024 to 70 percent by 2029. In 2025, the District moved closer to that goal with 56.3 percent of graduates earning at least one credential through Advanced Placement, Dual Credit or Dual Enrollment courses, International Baccalaureate Programme, the State Seal of Biliteracy, Career and Technical Education, completing an internship, and Junior ROTC programming. The District also monitors graduates' college enrollment and college persistence rate as well as scholarships earned as additional ways to track college and career success.
School Spotlight: Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (CHSAS)
On Tuesday, CPS’ Chief of College and Career Success Megan Hougard and other leaders visited CHSAS to celebrate the school’s achievements. Chief Hougard walked through the learning spaces, from the farm to the full-sized kitchen to the expansive greenhouse, observing students engaged in hands-on learning across horticulture, animal science, and food science.
“It’s powerful to walk through CHSAS and know that nearly every student graduates with a credential that gives them a head start,” said Chief Hougard. “Seeing our students in these real-world environments is our mission coming to life.”
Students at CHSAS choose from a lengthy list of industry-recognized certifications to pursue, including those in agriculture, veterinary science, construction, food handling, junior master gardening, welding, drone use, and first aid/CPR.
“CHSAS students benefit from an exceptional range of opportunities to connect classroom learning to real jobs,” said CHSAS Principal William Hook. “Hands-on application is central to our mission, from internships to job-shadowing experiences. Our students are guided by leading professionals across industry, government, and higher education, preparing them to become the next generation of leaders in their fields. Our students learn by doing”.
Jada Toussaint – a CHSAS junior who had just finished training cattle to walk on a harness – said she has had her eyes set on CHSAS since she was a kindergartener, watching the horses in awe as her family drove by the school.
“Being here is a really cool experience that I brag to my friends about,” she said. “Working with animals is not only useful for later in life, to learn responsibility and time management, but to help me understand how to handle animals and care for them. I want to go into the medical field and this is a great place to start, getting exposure to different anatomies.”
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Across the District
CHSAS’ program is the only one specialized in agricultural sciences, but far from the only school across CPS to offer skilled pathways. The District currently offers 34 CTE pathways at more than 80 high schools, ranging from construction trades to carpentry, electricity, welding, and HVAC. These programs allow students to gain work experience for in-demand careers while providing opportunities to earn early college credit and industry-recognized certifications at seven CPS high schools.
These efforts reflect CPS’ strong partnership with City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) through the Chicago Roadmap, which supports students along a seamless path to and through post-secondary education and training, on their way to their chosen careers. Skilled trades exploration events and aligned programming help students learn about high-growth professions and connect to opportunities that prepare them for competitive, in-demand careers.
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