The Illinois Career Pathways program took Life Skills and Pre-Employment Career Training (PECT) students on a field trip to Fairmount Park, where they learned about job opportunities and the skills needed for employment, according to a Mar. 12 announcement.
The event aimed to help special education students explore potential part-time jobs and gain practical experience as they prepare for life after high school. The initiative is part of a broader effort to support student independence and self-advocacy through hands-on learning experiences.
“Students loved seeing the horses, meeting the VP of Operational Development, Kate McMahon, and the Environmental Services Supervisor, Ryan McCoy,” said Special Education Transition Life Skills Instructor Alicia Furlow. “They are hoping to hire part-time employees for race days, Tuesdays and Saturdays, to help pick up trash, clean tables, answer customer questions and keep a happy and lively atmosphere.”
Career Pathways is managed by the IMPACT Center for Independent Living as a University of Illinois research-based program. Coordinator Cynthia “Cindy” Klein-Webb leads sessions at Collinsville middle and high schools focused on self-advocacy and independence over 12 to 14 classes. The goal is to prepare students for transitions beyond high school.
“We want students to lead full, productive lives of their choice, which include employment and possible post-secondary school. This is done in a growing partnership with the Collinsville School District and surrounding businesses in the community,” said Catherine Kulupka, CUSD 10 Special Education PECT and Co-Op Coordinator.
Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 serves Madison and St. Clair counties with several schools under its jurisdiction according to the Illinois Report Card. The district employs 418 teachers who earn an average salary of $60,392; women make up 81 percent of this workforce while men account for 19 percent according to state data. Demographically, the district’s student body is composed of 56 percent White students, 14.1 percent Black students, 24.1 percent Hispanic students, and 0.5 percent Asian students as reported by ISBE.
In terms of spending, Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 allocated $16,872 per student in 2020 for a total expenditure of $104 million according to official records. During that same year, there were 191 chronically truant students enrolled—a rate of just over three percent—well below the statewide average of nearly ten percent according to ISBE.
The district enrolled more than six thousand students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade during the 2019-2020 academic year as noted by state data.
As programs like Career Pathways continue their partnerships with local businesses such as Fairmount Park, educators hope these efforts will further support student readiness for employment or further education after graduation.
