Patiño School of Entrepreneurship is a Fresno Unified public magnet high school.

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Education.
Changed.

The World Changed. School Should, Too.

Learn More
Now Enrolling

See What Learning Can Look Like.

Patiño School of Entrepreneurship is a Fresno Unified public high school where learning connects to the real world. Through hands-on experiences, students discover what they’re capable of and prepare for whatever comes next.

At Patiño, learning doesn’t stop at knowing the answer. Students put what they learn to work—solving problems, developing ideas, creating projects, collaborating with others, and connecting with professionals beyond the classroom.

I'm Interested
For Future Patiño Students

Find a High School Experience
That Fits.

You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do after high school. And you definitely don’t have to arrive with a business idea.

A student with curly hair and glasses sits in a classroom, holding a pencil and an open notebook, appearing to take notes. Bookshelves filled with books are visible in the background.
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A young woman writes on a whiteboard with a red marker in a classroom, while other students also work at the board in the background.
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A woman writes on a large whiteboard covered in colorful mind maps and notes about activities, hobbies, and sessions, while others work nearby in a bright classroom.
Three young women sit around a table in a library, writing and studying together. Bookshelves and motivational posters are visible in the background.
A person with short hair uses a white sewing machine to sew red fabric on a dark table in a room with metal cabinets and large equipment in the background.
A student takes notes while a teacher stands by a screen displaying Events vs. Story in a classroom. Other students are seated nearby, and an American flag is visible in the background.
Several students stand at a whiteboard, writing and discussing ideas in a classroom. Other students sit at desks, observing or participating in the group activity.
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A student with short red hair writes on paper at a classroom desk. Other students in the background use laptops and talk, creating a busy, collaborative learning environment.
What matters more is
how you want to learn.

At Patiño, entrepreneurship is a way to build skills, explore your interests, and discover what you're capable of—wherever you want to go next.

Patiño Could Be a Fit If You...

  • Like learning by doing, making, or solving.
  • Want to understand how what you learn connects to real life.
  • Have ideas, interests, or questions you want the freedom to explore.
  • Enjoy creating, collaborating, experimenting, or figuring things out.
  • Want more independence and a bigger role in your own education.
  • Are willing to try something new—even when you might not get it right the first time.

You bring the curiosity.
Patiño gives you somewhere to take it.

The Patiño Experience

Four Years Designed
To Take
You Further.

At Patiño, each year builds on the one before it, giving students opportunities to take on greater challenges and more independence as they progress through high school.

Project Management

9th Grade

Establish a foundation in teamwork, design thinking, presenting ideas, prototyping, problem-solving, and project management.
Web & Online Marketing

10th Grade

Build websites, explore digital marketing, strengthen communication skills, and work on real projects for local startups.
Business Startup Incubator

11th Grade

Identify problems, research what people need, develop and test solutions, work with industry mentors, and pitch ideas.
Business Startup Accelerator

12th Grade

Put four years of learning to work through networking, marketing, mentorship, and opportunities to compete for funding.

Throughout All Four Years:

College-Preparatory Academics

Complete core academic requirements while connecting learning to real-world applications.

College-Credit Opportunities

Gain college experience and access opportunities to earn credit while still in high school.

Industry
Connections

Learn from professionals, mentors, partners, and real-world experiences beyond campus.

A Small-School Environment

Build strong connections with teachers and peers in a supportive, close-knit environment.

Smiling teenage student with curly hair stands with arms crossed in front of a whiteboard covered in math equations, wearing a yellow shirt and blue plaid button-up.
Students gather and talk in a modern school lounge area under a staircase, with Innovate. Lead. Learn. Create. and the schools logo on a red wall. Natural light enters through large windows.
A young woman in a pink shirt sits at a desk, smiling and talking with another person in a classroom setting. She has a notebook and pen in front of her.
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Students walk through a modern building with glass doors, a staircase, high ceilings, and large digital screens on an orange wall showing a logo and a persons face.
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A graduate in cap and gown stands on stage, looking thoughtful, with other graduates and faculty in the background under warm lights.
Circular logo for Patiño School of Entrepreneurship, featuring an elephant in the center with Est. 2015 beneath it. The schools name encircles the elephant, and three vertical lines appear on either side at the top.
See What’s Possible
Ready To Explore Patiño?

If Patiño sounds like a high school where your student could thrive, the next step is simple: connect with the Patiño team to ask questions and learn more about enrollment.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about Patiño School of Entrepreneurship, academics, the student experience, and enrollment.

About Patiño

A magnet school is a public school that offers a specialized educational focus and gives students an alternative to their neighborhood high school. Patiño's specialized focus combines academics with entrepreneurship, project-based learning, technology, and real-world experience.

At Patiño, entrepreneurship is a framework for learning. Students learn to recognize opportunities, develop ideas, solve problems, collaborate, and put what they learn into practice through real-world experiences. The goal isn't just to prepare students to start businesses—it's to prepare them to think, adapt, create, and take initiative wherever they go next.

No. Entrepreneurship is a framework for learning at Patiño, not a requirement for what students do after graduation. Students develop practical skills they can carry into college, careers, and wherever their interests take them.

No. Students are not expected to arrive with a business idea. The four-year experience gives them opportunities to explore their interests, identify opportunities, develop ideas, and build their skills over time.

Project-based learning gives students opportunities to learn through meaningful questions, challenges, and projects. Students put what they learn into practice as they create, collaborate, solve problems, and develop solutions.

Patiño can be a strong fit for students who are curious, enjoy learning by doing, want to understand how their education connects to the real world, and are willing to participate, collaborate, and try new things. Students do not need to know exactly what they want to do after high school.

No. Patiño serves students with a range of academic backgrounds. A strong fit has more to do with mindset: curiosity, participation, willingness to collaborate, and an interest in hands-on learning.

Not necessarily. Patiño's hands-on, collaborative approach may be especially appealing to students who want more ownership of their learning and enjoy putting what they learn into practice. Visiting campus can help students and families decide whether the experience feels like the right fit.

Academics & Student Life

Yes. Students complete core academic coursework and UC/CSU A–G requirements while connecting what they learn across subjects to projects and real-world applications.

Yes. Patiño students have access to college-credit and dual-enrollment opportunities, including an opportunity connected to Fresno State during the 11th-grade Business Startup Incubator.

Patiño students can participate in sports activities through their home high school.

Fresno Unified bus transportation is provided from a student’s designated “hub” school. Learn more through the Zum app at Fresno Unified.

Enrollment & Admissions

Incoming 9th and 10th-grade students are invited to apply. There is no GPA requirement or separate application. Please fill out a transfer application through the Atlas Parent Portal.

Families interested in Patiño should complete a Fresno Unified transfer application, which can be submitted online or through the District's transfer process. Families can also connect directly with Patiño by submitting the interest form or scheduling a tour to learn more about the school and enrollment process.

How to Apply

After applying, students are selected via a lottery system. For more information, please visit the Fresno Unified transfers page under “Lottery Details.”

The application window opens September 1 of the student’s 8th-grade year for the following school year. The first lottery happens after the on-time application window closes on December 1, and families are notified during the spring. Families can check their status by viewing the Transfers Application tab (where they first applied) of the Atlas Parent Portal. For more information, please visit Fresno Unified’s page for Lottery Details.

If seats are available, students can apply in their 9th or 10th grade year. Lotteries are conducted on a rolling basis to fill open spots.

After accepting placement at Patiño, families receive information from the school about upcoming opportunities, events, and next steps. Families applying for the following school year can expect to hear from Patiño in the spring after accepting placement.

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