Career and technical education (CTE) pathways in Prosper ISD

CTE at every campus

Prosper ISD has no separate CTE center. CTE courses are taught at every middle school and high school, and you stay at your home campus for all your courses, except a few courses that are offered at specific campuses.

• The biggest exception is the three academies at Richland High School (next section).
• Rock Hill High School hosts the JROTC program for all Prosper ISD students.
• CTE student organizations (CTSOs) are open to students enrolled in a CTE course in a qualifying program of study each year.

The academies at Richland High School

Three programs are taught only at Richland High School because they need special facilities: Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering and Cosmetology.

• Each one requires a Request to Enroll before 9th grade, by the district's deadlines.
• Students who aren't zoned for Richland but are accepted transfer to Richland High School and attend there full-time.
• Cybersecurity Academy: certifications such as CompTIA A+, Security+ and Linux+, with dual credit options. Prosper ISD says there's no additional cost for this program.
• Electrical Engineering Academy: offers the SACA Industry 4.0 certification and a "two plus two" option: two years at Richland, then two years at a partner college.
• Cosmetology Academy (with Toni & Guy Academy): prepares you for the Texas cosmetology operator license. You pay $25 for a required TDLR student license, which has extra application requirements. The cosmetology kit costs $1,900, with payment plans available. Prosper ISD pays for the certification test.

Ask your counselor: the Request to Enroll dates for students starting 9th grade in 2027-28, and whether students from other zones get transportation to Richland. We didn't find either on the official pages. Prosper ISD's calendar lists "Launch Your Journey" high school nights in fall 2026 (Richland HS November 17, Rock Hill HS November 18, Prosper HS December 1, Walnut Grove HS December 2, at 6:00 PM), where you could ask.

The 28 programs of study

A program of study is a series of CTE courses that build on each other. Prosper ISD's 2026-27 High School guide lists 28:

• Accounting and Financial Services
• Agriculture and Technology Mechanical Systems
• Animal Science
• Animation
• Architectural Design
• Audio/Video and Broadcast Production
• Biomedical Science
• Business Management
• Construction and Project Management
• Cosmetology and Personal Care (Richland)
• Culinary Arts and Hospitality
• Cybersecurity (Richland)
• Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services
• Electrical Engineering (Richland)
• Engineering Foundations
• Exercise Science, Wellness, and Restoration
• Family and Community Services
• Fashion Design
• Interior Design
• Law Enforcement
• Marketing and Sales
• Modern Media
• Plant Science
• Programming and Software Development
• Teaching and Training
• Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (Automotive)
• Video Game Design
• Yearbook

The guide's list also shows "Health Science" as its own line, and the endorsement card lists "Nursing Science". Ask your counselor whether these are separate programs.

See every CTE course, with its code, level and grades, in our Prosper ISD course catalog (CTE courses have a CTE tag).

How to sign up

• You request courses online in Skyward. If you don't submit your choices, your counselor schedules courses for you.
• Admission to CTE programs is based on interest and aptitude, age, and space in the class.
• CTE Program Qualification Form: required for every practicum and work-based learning course, and some courses with time outside the classroom (for example CTE Practicum, Instructional Practices-RST I, PCIS I and II, Practicum in Audio Video and Broadcast Production, Practicum in Education - RST II, Practicum in Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security, Practicum in Veterinary Science, and Yearbook I, II and Capstone). The guide links it at bit.ly/CTEQUAL. Choosing the course and filling out the form doesn't guarantee a spot.
• Collin College health courses need an application and acceptance to Collin College: Health Science Theory and Clinical (CNA) and (EKG), Practicum in Health Science - Rehab Aide, Medical Scribe, PCT and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
• Prosper Career Independent Study (PCIS) is for juniors and seniors, who choose a mentor to work with for the rest of the year.
• Some programs have fees for lab materials, supplies, student organizations, certification exams or uniforms. Ask your counselor for amounts.

Dual credit and dual enrollment CTE courses

• Collin College dual credit: the health courses above, plus Pathophysiology, Medical Terminology, Digital Forensics, Networking, Internetworking, Practicum in STEM - Cybersecurity and Independent Study in Technology.
• Tarleton State dual enrollment: Advanced Animal Science, Instructional Practices I, Anatomy and Physiology.
• Articulated with Collin College: Health Science Theory.

Costs and how dual credit is weighted are in the AP, Honors and dual credit guide.

GPA, levels and class rank

Every course entry in Prosper ISD's guide states its GPA weight: AP/Dual Credit (up to 6.0), Honors (up to 5.5) or On-Level (up to 5.0). See the GPA and class rank guide for the points.

• Most CTE courses are On-Level. Many upper-level courses are Honors, for example CTE Practicum, Practicum in Veterinary Science, Digital Electronics, Principles of Biomedical Science, Human Body Systems, Medical Interventions, Biomedical Innovation, Pharmacology, Networking, Digital Forensics, Cybersecurity Capstone, Video Game Design III, Animation II and Prosper Career Independent Study I and II.
• Dual credit and dual enrollment CTE courses carry the AP/Dual Credit weight. Instructional Practices - Ready, Set, Teach I and Rehabilitation Aide are also AP-weighted.
• A "Level 3" or "Level 4" course isn't automatically Honors. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) gives every CTE course a level, which matters for completer status and endorsements, but Prosper ISD says the level doesn't set the grade you take it in or its GPA weight.

CTE courses that earn other credits

• Science: Advanced Animal Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Engineering Design & Problem Solving, Engineering Science, Forensic Science, Pathophysiology.
• Math: Accounting II, AP Computer Science A, Digital Electronics, Robotics II.
• Fine arts: 3D Modeling & Animation, Floral Design, Digital Art & Animation, Introduction to Communication Arts and Media.
• Language other than English: Computer Science I, II and III, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles.

Class of 2031 and later

For this year's 8th graders and younger, class rank counts only English, math, science, social studies and languages other than English, so most CTE electives won't count in rank GPA. Ask your counselor whether CTE courses that earn one of those credits (like Anatomy and Physiology for science or Accounting II for math) count in the rank GPA.

Certifications

Prosper ISD's program pages list these industry certifications:

• Animal Science: Certified Veterinary Assistant, Level 1. Agriculture Technology & Mechanical Systems: AWS D1.1 & D9.1 welding (2F Stick, 2F MIG, 4F MIG/Stick). Plant Science: TSFA Knowledge-Based Floral.
• Audio/Video and Broadcast Production: Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, Premiere Pro. Animation: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator. Fashion Design and Modern Media: Adobe Photoshop. Video Game Design: Unity Certified User. Yearbook: Adobe InDesign, Photoshop.
• Business Management: Microsoft Word Expert; Entrepreneurship and Small Business. Accounting and Financial Services and Marketing and Sales: to be decided (pending TEA).
• Teaching and Training: Educational Aide I. Family and Community Services: Community Health Worker.
• Electrical Engineering: SACA C-200 (Certified Industry 4.0 Automation Systems Specialist I – Electrical Systems 1). Engineering Foundations: Autodesk Fusion 360.
• Biomedical Science: Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE). Exercise Science, Wellness, and Restoration: Certified Personal Trainer; Pharmacy Technician (as listed on the page). Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services: none listed.
• Culinary Arts and Hospitality: Food Manager. Cosmetology: Cosmetology Operators License.
• Programming and Software Development: Certified Entry Level Python Programmer; AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. Cybersecurity: CompTIA Tech+, Network+, Security+, Linux+ (the academy page says A+, Security+ and Linux+).
• Law Enforcement: to be decided (pending TEA). Automotive: ASE Automotive Certification(s).

The course guide also names certifications under some courses. Ask your counselor about the ones still pending.

CTE completers and endorsements

You're a CTE completer when you complete three or more courses for at least four credits in the same program of study, and at least one is level 3 or higher. Every CTE program of study leads to an endorsement (see the endorsements guide). Prosper ISD's Endorsement Card groups them like this:

• Business & Industry: Accounting & Financial Services, Agriculture Technology & Mechanical Systems, Animal Science, Animation, Architectural Design, Automotive, A/V & Broadcast Production, Business Management, Construction & Project Management, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Foundations, Fashion Design, Marketing & Sales, Interior Design, Modern Media, Plant Science, Programming & Software Development, Video Game Design, Yearbook.
• Public Services: Biomedical Science, Diagnostic & Therapeutic Services, Exercise Science Wellness & Restoration, Family & Community Service, Law Enforcement, Nursing Science, Teaching and Training (and JROTC, which isn't a CTE program).
• STEM: Biomedical Science, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Foundations, Programming & Software.

Some programs appear under two endorsements. Ask your counselor how many courses in one program the endorsement needs; the card doesn't say. When you're ready, open the planner to try CTE courses in your four-year plan.

Official sources

• Prosper ISD 2026-27 High School Academic Course Guide and Catalog (see the Career and Technical Education pages, programs of study and Endorsement Card)
• Prosper ISD: Academies at Richland High School (Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering and Cosmetology academy pages)
• Prosper ISD: Programs of Study (cluster pages with certifications)
• Prosper ISD: Prosper Career Independent Study (PCIS)