Board of Education: Skill‑center visits reinforce Future Ready push, members call for more CTE capacity

Board of Education members on the state board on Tuesday credited recent visits to a regional skill center with reinforcing the board’s Future Ready work and pressed for steps to expand career and technical education (CTE) capacity.

The board’s discussion, which followed multiple site visits, highlighted student engagement at the Newmarket Skill Center and persistent wait lists that keep hundreds of interested students from enrolling. The board discussed policy and funding levers—from state grant support to better high‑school/post‑secondary alignment—to widen access to industry partnerships, internships and apprenticeships.

Board members said the visits showed high student engagement in hands‑on programs ranging from medical assisting to construction and cosmetology. “I just really appreciated being able to visit that skill lab,” Brooke Brown, teacher representative on the board, said. Board Chair Bill Calapa said districts report long waiting lists; “we have a wait list in excess of 200 kids waiting to get in,” he said, noting that unmet demand suggests an access gap.

Why it matters: Board members said CTE and skill centers provide in‑demand credentials and tangible post‑graduation pathways for students who may not pursue a four‑year degree. Members tied that argument to the Future Ready initiative the board is leading, which will recommend changes to graduation and post‑secondary transition policies in coming years.

What board members discussed: Several members urged a mix of immediate and longer‑term responses. Short‑term ideas included promoting existing state grants, improving student advising to steer students into dual‑credit and CTE offerings, and sharing a state messaging toolkit to boost student member recruitment and outreach. Longer‑term options discussed were seeking budget support for expanded CTE seats, rethinking certification or credentialing bottlenecks, and encouraging stronger employer partnerships to host internships and apprenticeships.

Next steps: Executive Director Randy Spalding and board staff will fold the site‑visit observations into the board’s Future Ready workstream and share recommendations with the board and the task force that is drafting a legislative package for 2027. The board will continue to flag CTE capacity as a priority for the Future Ready proposals.

Ending: Members closed the discussion by reiterating support for student access to hands‑on programs and asking staff to produce options—policy changes, budget asks, and partnership models—for the board to consider in the spring.