Board approves CTE waiver for 2025–26; district must expand career‑tech offerings going forward

The Board of Education voted 5–0 on Sept. 17 to adopt a CTE waiver resolution for the 2025–26 school year that waives the state requirement to offer officially coded career‑technical education (CTE) courses at the middle‑school level for one year. Board members approved the resolution as presented; a motion and second were recorded and the roll call vote passed unanimously.

Why it matters: recent state legislation changes CTE expectations for districts; the waiver lets the district remain compliant this year while it develops plans to provide certified, coded CTE coursework in future years and to upskill existing staff. District staff said some teachers can be certified through the state's TechCred program and other pathways; staff also said pursuing teacher certification and coding will require planning and some investment of staff time.

During discussion, staff said the waiver is the district's last under the current rules and that next years will require officially coded CTE offerings. "We basically get the requirement to offer career technical education courses at the middle school…we're waiving the requirement to offer career technical education courses at the middle school this year," a staff presenter said. Staff also noted prior grant attempts (including a prior $260,000 application) that aimed to fund teacher certification for CTE coding but were not awarded. Administrators said they will present a plan to expand CTE credentials among current teachers and note state TechCred reimbursement opportunities.

Board vote: motion and second were made on the floor and the resolution passed on a 5–0 roll call. The board did not attach additional conditions to the waiver but asked staff to return with implementation plans for the next school year.