Instruction must be systematic and reflect the program goals. Marketing and recruitment are critical to program strength and viability. Policies for managing resources and budgets are crucial to good stewardship
San Marcos Unified School District Goals
San Marcos Unified San Marcos Unified School District’s (SMUSD) mission is to remain an innovative and collaborative community where all our students are challenged, inspired, and poised to excel.
Beliefs
We believe every student deserves to learn every day.
Positive relationships and a strong sense of community connect students to learning. Teachers who challenge and care for students make a significant impact on students’ lives.
Excellence is attained when we accept only the best from every individual in our learning community.
Commitments
We commit to providing each student with an appropriate and challenging educational experience.
Maintaining a respectful environment that fosters learning through positive relationships among students, staff, adults and our diverse community.
Providing quality education based on high standards, effective practice, continuous improvement and innovation.
Hiring and retaining only the best educators and investing in their success.
Portrait of a Graduate is our guidance for achieving our district mission.
San Marcos High School Goals
San Marcos High School, a partnership of students, staff, parents, and community, is committed to developing the academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being of students through an engaging and rigorous learning environment.
OUR VISION...High academic rigor and personal growth for all students.
The Criminal Justice Program at San Marcos High School fully supports both the San Marcos High School mission and the overarching goals of San Marcos Unified School District (SMUSD) by providing students with enriching learning experiences and high expectations within a supportive, inclusive environment. Led by knowledgeable and dedicated teachers who inspire and engage, this program fosters a sense of belonging and enthusiasm for learning among our students. With a curriculum focused on real-world applications—such as field trips to local law enforcement and court facilities, diverse guest speakers from the criminal justice sector, and hands-on, project-based lessons—students gain invaluable insights into the challenges and responsibilities of this field. This approach aligns with SMUSD’s commitment to delivering a rigorous educational experience in a respectful and supportive setting, which helps students build positive relationships, engage with the community, and pursue continuous personal growth.
In line with SMUSD’s mission to cultivate an innovative and collaborative learning community, the Criminal Justice Program at San Marcos High School is designed to meet the evolving needs of both our school and district by ensuring students are not only academically prepared but also career-ready. Through industry-aligned instruction and experiential learning opportunities, students gain practical experience and insights into criminal justice careers, embodying the Portrait of a Graduate by developing skills in problem-solving, ethical behavior, and personal responsibility. The program’s combination of field experiences, expert guest speakers, and high-quality instruction keeps students actively engaged, ensuring continuous growth and innovation. These efforts reflect SMUSD's commitment to excellence and respect, allowing our program to prepare students effectively for success in diverse and challenging future careers, aligned with San Marcos High School’s vision of high academic rigor and personal growth for all students.
Program Goals
Dual Enrollment & Certification Pathways:
Establish partnerships with local community colleges to secure dual enrollment for Criminal Justice courses, allowing students to earn college credits toward a Modern Policing degree.
Field Trips and Industry Exposure:
Expand current field trips to an additional 3-4 more criminal justice-related sites (e.g., courthouses, police stations, correctional facilities, and dispatch centers) for real-world insights.
Establish relationships with local law enforcement, forensic labs, and emergency response teams to facilitate regular visits.
Guest Speaker Engagement:
Expand guest speaker schedule with professionals from diverse areas within criminal justice (e.g., female law enforcement officers, Latino/a detectives, forensic analysts, judges, probation officers) to enhance classroom learning with real-world experiences from diverse professional reflective of the student body.
Community and Parent Engagement:
Host an informational session for students and parents about the benefits of dual enrollment, potential career paths, and the skills developed in the Criminal Justice CTE program.
Program Awareness and Recruitment:
Launch a recruitment campaign to raise awareness among students about the Criminal Justice CTE program, emphasizing the real-world skills, certifications, and college credits available.
Comprehensive Dual Enrollment Offering:
Transition all core Criminal Justice CTE courses to dual enrollment, allowing students to complete a significant portion of the Modern Policing degree requirements while still in high school.
Expand course offerings options in areas such as Peer Counseling, Cybersecurity, and Education to diversify student opportunties to expand their skills into additional pathways related to Criminal Justice.
Field-Based Learning Expansion:
Expand annual field trip schedule, integrating more immersive experiences like ride-alongs (if available), courtroom observation days, and forensic lab visits.
Develop partnerships for short-term job shadowing opportunities with local agencies, expand to offer internships in areas of Criminal Justice.
Guest Speaker Development:
Establish a formal Guest Speaker Mentor Series where professionals visit monthly to cover essential criminal justice topics, current events, and career advice with individual students. These could include new areas of focus like digital forensics, community policing, and legal rights.
Skill-Building and Simulation Labs:
Integrate simulation labs where students can practice real-world scenarios like mock crime scene investigations, courtroom procedures, and traffic stops.
Equip classrooms with basic fieldwork tools for hands-on experience, such as fingerprinting kits, basic forensics materials, and digital resources.
Community and Industry Advisory Council:
Expand Criminal Justice Program Advisory Council consisting of law enforcement representatives, legal professionals, community activists, and educators to guide program development and ensure relevance.
Full Modern Policing Degree Pathway:
Create a 2X2 (two years high school, two years college) complete pathway enabling students to complete most of their Modern Policing degree requirements while in high school, making them highly competitive candidates to fill the needed roles in our local police force.
Work-Based Learning and Internships:
Develop robust, semester-long internship programs with local law enforcement, legal offices, and forensic departments, allowing students to gain hands-on experience, develop professional networks, and earn credits.
Innovative Technology and Simulation Labs:
Establish a permanent Criminal Justice Simulation Center, equipped with virtual reality setups, mock courtrooms, and forensic labs for comprehensive, real-world training simulations.
Partner with technology providers to offer students experience with current policing technology (e.g., body cams, data analysis software, and crime mapping tools).
Sustainable Guest Speaker and Mentorship Network:
Expand the mentorship program, pairing each student with a mentor in the field for the duration of the program to provide guidance, feedback, and insights into career options.
Develop an annual Criminal Justice Career Day to connect students with professionals, alumni, and college representatives for direct industry insights.
Community Involvement and Public Relations:
Promote the program's impact by gathering and sharing student success stories, academic achievements, and professional accomplishments in school communications.
Outcome Evaluation and Program Sustainability:
Regularly evaluate program outcomes with a focus on college enrollment, employment rates in criminal justice fields, and feedback from students and community partners to refine the program.
The Criminal Justice Program at San Marcos High School is currently staffed by one full-time instructor who leads an engaging curriculum for a total of 235 students. Of these, 156 students are enrolled in Criminal Justice 1, where they are introduced to foundational concepts of the field. Additionally, 79 students are advancing their studies in Criminal Justice 2, building on their knowledge with deeper exploration and real-world applications. This structure allows for comprehensive instruction across both introductory and advanced levels, meeting the needs of a large and dedicated student cohort.
Currently, our Criminal Justice program thrives on the outstanding reputation built by our passionate and highly skilled instructors. These teachers are known for their engaging approach, making the coursework both relevant and exciting, and their dedication has fostered a positive buzz among students, resulting in strong interest year after year. Because of this organic growth in demand, we have not required formal promotional materials; in fact, the program consistently runs at full capacity, with students often requesting additional sessions that we now offer after school. While we have yet to develop a targeted marketing plan or visual materials, our program’s quality and word-of-mouth endorsements from students have effectively promoted it across the school and district.
To expand outreach, we are considering new steps, including creating a dedicated website, brochures, and other resources to ensure broader visibility for prospective students and parents. We are also discussing partnerships with administration and counseling to develop a formal strategy for middle school outreach, feeder school visits, and inclusion in career fairs, which will allow students in earlier grades to explore the Criminal Justice program and prepare them for high school engagement.
One area we are working hard to increase visibility of our program is in the world of social media. We have recently started an Instagram accoutn that have built a solid following and has been a great recruitment tool for our program. Follow us at: @Smhscriminaljustice
Our advisory committee structure is district-wide, rather than pathway-specific. Each year, the district holds a single advisory committee meeting that brings together teachers, industry partners, and CTE staff. Teachers are encouraged to invite an industry partner to the meeting, fostering valuable collaboration. This year, for example, San Marcos High School invited retired Escondido Police Lieutenant Al Owens to participate. At the meeting, attendees discuss pathway data, review curriculum needs, and receive recommendations on materials and resources that could benefit student learning. While minutes are not recorded, all industry partners complete a post-meeting survey to provide feedback, helping the district and teachers assess needs and make informed decisions about program improvements.
Industry Partner Meeting Slides
CTE Program Partners Data Collection-Prior to Meeting
Industry Partner Data for Review
Industry Partner/Teacher Data Debrief Sheet
Budgeting Procedure for Career and Technical Education Programs at San Marcos High School
The budgeting procedure for our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at San Marcos High School is rooted in a collaborative and strategic approach that prioritizes program needs while ensuring responsible fiscal management. Each CTE teacher is tasked with setting and determining their annual budget based on curriculum requirements and anticipated instructional needs. Teachers submit detailed requests for necessary resources and materials for the upcoming school year, ensuring alignment with program goals and educational standards. The district then carefully reviews each budget submission, assessing funding availability and making allocations based on program priorities. Our department endeavors to fulfill as many requests as possible within the available budget, thereby supporting the effective delivery of instruction across all CTE programs.
Decision-Making System for Resources and Instructional Support
The decision-making process for consumables, course content, and instructional support materials is designed to uphold rigorous educational standards and ensure optimal resource utilization. Teachers are responsible for tracking consumable materials, such as workbooks and handouts, on an ongoing basis. In addition to keeping a inventory of their classroom materials.
Curriculum development is guided by the state educational standards, which serve as the framework for instructional materials and assessments, ensuring students receive a robust, standards-aligned education. The site based CTE Department in collaboration with the teacher oversees the alignment of course content with these standards and conducts systematic evaluations to verify compliance and effectiveness. Budget allocations are then determined based on this analysis, with resources distributed equitably across programs according to specific needs.
Equipment purchases are similarly guided by curriculum needs and are often informed by input from industry advisory boards, ensuring alignment with both educational and industry standards.
Consumable purchasing decisions are prioritized according to program-wide needs, with a focus on enhancing educational outcomes within the CTE framework. By following these structured procedures, we ensure that our programs maintain high standards of academic quality, fiscal responsibility, and alignment with industry expectations, thereby fostering an effective learning environment for all students. Transparency and accountability remain central to our budgeting and resource allocation processes, and open communication channels keep all stakeholders informed regarding budget-related decisions.
Program Expenditures for the Last Three Years (CTE Program funded)
