*An Austin ISD email address is required to complete the form (can be student or staff).
*Necesita un correo electrónico de Austin ISD para completar el formulario (puede ser de estudiante o maestro).
About Clifton
Clifton Career Development School is a centralized Career Technical Education program serving high school students across Austin ISD. Students participate in a coherent sequence of courses within a chosen program of study. Learning experiences include classroom instruction, hands-on labs, and volunteer internships designed to meet personal transition goals.
Guidance counselors, special education case managers, and other school staff are encouraged to refer students to Clifton during the last three years in school. Students and families may also self-refer and are invited to tour our facility. Prospective students should complete an interest form and a program discussion to consider how Clifton can support them in their postsecondary success. Please refer to our FAQS and Resources for more information.
Internships
One of the benefits of Clifton is our work-based learning and off-campus internships. Students gain valuable on-the-job experience at businesses in the community, and our business partners benefit as well. These volunteer internships give students real-world experience to put on their resumes and help them learn employability skills in a way that no classroom instruction can match.
Certifications
Every Clifton program offers industry-driven certifications (IDCs) for our students to help prepare them for careers in their field and give them an edge over other job applicants. Some examples include CPR and First Aid, Texas Food Handlers, and OSHA Safety Certifications. Students in every program also have the opportunity to pursue industry-based certifications (IBCs), which are recognized by the Texas Education Agency as a measurement of College & Career Readiness.
Career Preparation
In their last year at Clifton CDS, students have the option to take Career Preparation, which focuses on the skills and individualized transition support to find and maintain employment. In the classroom, students learn how to find and apply for jobs, create a resume, develop interviewing skills, and practice workplace communication. Students spend most of their time engaged in work-based learning, either through school-organized internships or at individual jobs. Our goal is for every student to leave Clifton CDS prepared for life after high school.
Potential Pathways After Completing Clifton's 3-Year Program
Employment:
Student secures long-term paid employment in the community in a high-skill, high-demand field.
Post-Secondary Education:
Student attends a post-secondary education program to continue training or education. This may be a four-year college, community college, technical school, or other institute of higher learning. If financial assistance or adult services are needed, referrals and applications will be submitted prior to graduation.
Austin ISD 18+ Programming:
Austin ISD has several programs for high school students receiving special education services who have completed all graduation requirements but need additional time and support to develop their independence in the areas of employment readiness, community participation, independent living, and social/leisure skills. The Go Project is a popular application-based program with six different sites serving Austin ISD. Greenleaf Neurodiversity Community Center is another transition program offered in partnership with Easter Seals with a focus on project-based learning in creative arts and technology. Students receiving special education services can attend 18+ programming until they have mastered identified transition goals or until the age of 22.