The commitment of the region's schools to quality education encourages high levels of student achievement. Over the last nine years, the average verbal score for public school students in the six-county area was 16 points above the state average. The average math score for the region's students was 11 points above the California average. Enrollment in California Public Schools, 1996-97, California Department of Education, Research, Evaluation and Technology Division, November 1997. Classes include electronics technology, computer technology, woodworking, welding, automotive technology and graphic arts.
Vocational schools offer various technical and business-related curricula.
Three of the larger technical schools in the region are Heald Business College, Heald Institute of Technology and MTI Western Business College. In addition, Private Industry Councils bring together representatives from the private and public sectors for the management of programs that train individuals for specific industry needs. The region contains three community college districts, offering training in many academic, professional and technical fields. Sierra Community College offers general and technical education to approximately 16,000 students. The college provides comprehensive university transfer, as well as career preparation and retraining programs.