The Plano Independent School District is launching a program that could give some students a head start in their careers. Beginning next fall, high school students in the district will have the opportunity to earn a cosmetology license by the time they graduate high school.

Last week, the district’s board of trustees unanimously approved a partnership with the Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy to bring this program to Plano students. The company has operated a well-known cosmetology school for over 50 years, but Plano ISD will be the first school district in the nation to collaborate with the academy.

Toni & Guy CEO Zak Mascolo, and Joshua Marzioli, the company’s president, told The Dallas Express that they are looking forward to teaching the next generation of stylists everything they need to know.

“Education is something we hold so dear to our hearts; it just seemed like the perfect fit to figure out how to make this happen because, at the end of the day, with the way things are changing in the industry, it’s important for them to have a head start,” said Marzioli.

Mascolo pointed out that the program is a good option for those still unsure about their career path.

“If they don’t know if they want to go to a four-year college, we can provide a great education. We’re setting these young people up to be making six figures in three-to-five years,” said Mascolo.

The two-year cosmetology program will entail “1,000 clock hours of theory, technical instruction, and practical operations working toward the goal of earning a Texas Cosmetology License as a graduating senior,” the school district’s website explains.

Up to thirty students will be selected for the inaugural cosmetology program. Participants will attend classes at their home high school campus for half the school day and will attend the Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy for their cosmetology coursework for half the day. Students are responsible for their own transportation to the academy.

Plano ISD fully covers the tuition costs, but each student must purchase a professional cosmetology kit through Toni & Guy for use during the program.

“The kit includes all required technical kit items, media kit items, digital education materials, and textbooks for the program. The kit will cost approximately $1,750+tax,” the district website states.

Mascolo says his life goal is to ensure that future generations get real-life preparation to succeed in the modern world. He said students will walk away with important skills aside from making someone look good.

“You learn confidence; you have to greet your clients with a firm handshake and eye contact and just get out of [your] comfort zone,” Mascolo said.

Current sophomores who would like to be considered for the program, which begins in the fall of 2023, must complete and submit a Program Selection Form by February 10. As only a limited number of spaces are available for the program, students will be selected by a lottery system.

Students and parents are invited to attend an Open House at the Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy on January 24 at 6:30 p.m. to tour the facility and learn more about the program. The academy is located at 1921 Preston Rd., Ste. 2022, in Plano.

“Through learning experiences in innovative and rigorous programs like the one with TONI&GUY, our students will have access to industry professionals and experiences to become leaders in a global workforce,” Plano ISD Career and Technical Education Director Karen Buechman told NBC 5 DFW.

Although this cosmetology program is new to Plano ISD, Dallas ISD has offered cosmetology courses to its high school students since 1972 at Skyline High School. The program is open to students all over the district.

Plano ISD’s program may be more likely to yield successful results, given the district’s 96.1% overall 4-year graduation rate. Similar attempts to provide graduates from Dallas with professional credentials are challenged by Dallas ISD’s 82.8% 4-year graduation rate.