Cincinnati teens looking to get a head start on college and a paycheck now have four new ways to do it, as Cincinnati Public Schools opens districtwide applications for an expanded slate of College and Career Pathways for the 2026–27 school year. The options include an Automotive Undercar Technician Certificate at Cincinnati State, an Entrepreneurship pathway at Woodward Career Technical High School, the long-running Zoo Academy at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and a new College Innovation Pathway built with the University of Cincinnati. Seats are limited, students will be chosen at random, the district is offering transportation support such as Metro passes, and the automotive application closes Wednesday while the other three pathways close next Monday.
What The District Says
The district describes the new and expanded offerings as tuition-free College Credit Plus coursework paired with industry-recognized credentials that mix classroom learning with hands-on work and real-world job exposure, according to Cincinnati Public Schools. CPS presents the pathways as accelerated routes into high-demand careers that still keep students tied to their home schools for graduation requirements, sports and clubs.
Automotive Undercar Technician At Cincinnati State
The Automotive Undercar Technician Certificate is designed to train students in brake, suspension, steering and alignment work, and to prepare them for Automotive Service Excellence credentials such as A-4 and A-5, according to Cincinnati State. The college describes a mix of lab and lecture courses that build industry-ready skills while earning college credits that can roll into longer programs or take students straight into entry-level jobs.
College Innovation Pathway Leads To An Associate Degree
The College Innovation Pathway is a three-year sequence created with the University of Cincinnati that starts students on College Credit Plus coursework during their sophomore year, then shifts them to UC Blue Ash or UC Uptown for junior and senior years so they can finish an associate degree alongside their high school diploma, according to the University of Cincinnati. UC casts the program as part of a wider push to open more doors to college for CPS students.
Zoo Academy And Entrepreneurship At Woodward
The Zoo Academy continues as an immersive animal science program that takes place on zoo grounds, combining classroom instruction with lab rotations, conservation projects and chances to earn college credit, according to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The Entrepreneurship pathway at Woodward is set to focus on business basics, marketing and project-based learning for CPS students, a detail highlighted by CityBeat.
How To Apply And Logistics
Applications opened in early February and are available through district application links, with eligible students selected at random to fill a limited number of districtwide seats, students who are not selected placed on a waitlist, and Metro passes among the transportation supports on the table, according to Cincinnati Public Schools. The district site lists open house dates, program overviews and eligibility requirements, and families are urged to work with school counselors on scheduling and fit.
Officials say the expansion aims to cut financial and practical hurdles to college and career entry by removing tuition costs and giving students real workplace experience before they walk across the stage. The effort builds on CPS early-college programs and community partnerships and is intended to speed up pathways into both higher education and the local job market, according to materials from UC’s CPS Strong.
