Trustees review board goals and expansion plans for career‑technical education, discuss Stony Brook and Suffolk partnerships

At the Sept. 3 meeting trustees reviewed the board goals for 2025–26 and discussed a multi‑year effort to expand career‑technical education (CTE) and college partnerships.

District staff explained that New York State must approve CTE programs and that approved programs can provide graduation pathways, diploma enhancements, industry‑recognized credentials and required work‑based learning hours. Staff said the district currently offers CTE in marketing and early childhood education, and that Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Rinaldi and other staff are pursuing approvals for a pre‑engineering CTE program with Stony Brook University and an automotive program with Suffolk County Community College.

Administrators said the CTE application deadline is in October for programs that could begin in the 2026–27 school year and stressed that college partners must review syllabi to allow for college credits. The board discussed workforce and staffing trends: district speakers said demand for business, family and consumer sciences, and technology education teachers has grown and that the district’s offerings have rebounded after a long decline in some subject areas.

Trustees asked staff to continue developing partnerships and to provide details to the board as applications progress. The district also plans to evaluate a stock‑market lab and expand existing college credit partnerships that already yield significant credit accumulation for some students.

No formal vote occurred; the discussion updated the board on implementation steps and timelines.