As seniors prepare to graduate Sunday, about three-fourths of those Pintos have plans to attend a two- or four-year college or trade school, officials with the school district say.
When commencement ceremonies begin at 2 p.m. Sunday at California High School, 108 graduates are expected to walk across the stage.
CHS counselor Kimberly Wilkins said 52 students, or 48.6 percent or the class, will be attending a two-year college institution, technical school or certificate programs.
A large portion of the students within this bracket, she said, have taken advantage of the A+ Scholarship, which is a statewide program for public and private schools that choose to participate. High school students who meet certain eligibility guidelines, such as attendance and grade-point average, can earn up to two years of college for free at eligible institutions under the program.
Upon completion of the two-year degree, she said, some will transition to a four-year school and complete their higher education.
Twenty-nine percent of the 2019 class, or 32 students, will enter four-year college institutions, she said.
Eighteen students, or 16.8 percent of the class, will walk straight into the workforce, while five students, or 4.7 percent of the class, will enter branches of the military.
School officials estimate about 96 percent of the class will be graduating.
Sean Kirksey, principal of California High School, said the graduation rate has remained constant through the years.
"Our district has always worked hard at it," Kirksey said. "We routinely have the reputation of doing everything we can to get kids to graduate. Some kids need a lot more support, and we always hold them accountable."