Locally, courses such as woodwork, cooking, music, etc are known as "electives." At a past point in time, a robust offering of electives was a sign of a strong school system: one in which the students were performing well academically, therefore could engage in classes which were not purely academic in nature but which contributed to being well-rounded persons capable of independent living... college and career ready.
There may currently be a trend to eliminate electives, freeing time for further academics, job internships, and assessments: increased data collection.
