Almost 50 years after seeing its last student, a school in Central New York is on its way to reopening with a new focus.

The Syracuse Common Council voted Monday to take the next steps in creating the first collaborative school of its kind in the area. Here are plans for what will be one of the state's few STEAM-focused schools.

“It's all with the intent of designing a school to meet current and future needs," city of Syracuse Director of Strategic Initiatives Jen Tifft said.

STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEAM-related jobs are projected to grow by 8.8% from now through 2028. That’s almost 4% higher than non-STEAM-related positions.

The growth means STEAM education and accessibility is more important than ever.

“In order to see that growth actually come to fruition, we need to make sure that folks in our region and our city are really equipped with the skills that are needed to be successful in careers in high-tech, high-growth fields," Tifft said.

With Micron coming to Syracuse and upstate New York in a bid for designation as a tech hub, there could be plenty of jobs in those fields available for people across the state. The right assignments are going to be vital to educate students.

“This curriculum is going to be designed around six new CTE concentrations, and it's really going to be project-based," Tifft said.

The concentrations are subjects like semi-conducting, data analytics, robotics and construction management, among others. Everything will be project-based, meaning lessons will be guided by activities, instead of lectures.

The school is expected to open in 2025, and will be more accessible than others. Sixty percent of the slots are reserved for students in the Syracuse City School District, with 40% open to others.

“Other students, other cultures and backgrounds," she said. "The school will really serve in a lot of way as an integrator, I think, because it will enroll students from across the whole region."

Each class will have 250 students. Syracuse, nearby counties and the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) will collaborate to determine which students that enroll will be accepted.

While schools like this aren’t common across the state, Tifft believes that may be starting to change.

“I think, east of us and west of us, in particular, are looking to do similar things, whether it's on a regional scale or not. But I do think we’re gonna see potentially a shift in this direction," said Tifft.

The school's first year will only have a freshman class. A new cohort will be added each year after that.