Pacific Career and Technology High, North Highlands CA

Original Research by School Decision on Pacific Career and Technology High

Pacific Career and Technology High is an alternative public high school in North Highlands serving grades 9 through 12, though current enrollment is heavily concentrated in grade 12, with only a small cohort in grade 11. The school operates within Twin Rivers Unified, which recently resolved its first-ever teacher strike in March 2026 and is undertaking substantial facility improvements funded by bond measures approved in November 2022.

The student body is small and economically challenged. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The enrollment is predominantly Hispanic, with meaningful representation of Black students and smaller populations of other racial and ethnic groups. The school sits within North Highlands, an unincorporated, working-class suburban community northeast of downtown Sacramento, characterized by mid-century single-family homes and post-World War II planning around the former McClellan Air Force Base. Housing values are modest, and the community is car-oriented, though recent infrastructure improvements along Watt Avenue have added sidewalks and bike lanes. The area is targeted for substantial residential infill development over the coming years, particularly along the Watt Avenue corridor.

State assessment data for 2024-25 shows proficiency rates that are very low across all three tested subjects: English language arts, mathematics, and science. State testing data was available, but parents may want to discuss with the school what these results reflect about the student population served, the instructional approach, or other contextual factors particular to an alternative school setting. Because Pacific Career and Technology High is an alternative program, it may serve students with specific needs or prior academic circumstances that differ from traditional high school pathways; clarifying the school's mission and target population would help families understand whether these numbers align with the school's design and goals.

Graduation rate data, chronic absenteeism, and several other metrics were not available or are not reported for this school. Information on special education enrollment, English learner status, discipline, attendance, and staffing was similarly unavailable from public sources. The school website link was also not provided in available data, so families may benefit from contacting the school or Twin Rivers Unified directly to learn about program structure, course offerings, internship or career pathways, and support services.

The school does offer student government and yearbook activities. Course access, staffing ratios, and broader program details would merit direct inquiry. Given that the school identifies as a career and technology program, families interested in vocational or technical pathways may want to explore what partnerships, certifications, or dual-credit opportunities exist with local employers or community colleges, especially as the region around McClellan Park continues to grow with new businesses and employment.

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Academic performance

How students graduate and prepare for what comes next.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

50-54%Cohort of 90 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

2,394 schools plotted. 142 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.