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Board hears expansion and access challenges in CTE programs
Summary
District CTE director told the Snoqualmie Valley School District Board on May 8 that Career and Technical Education programming has expanded—with new courses, increased dual-credit and certifications—but staff cited barriers to one-on-one work-based placements including paperwork, age limits and transportation.
On May 8, 2025, the Snoqualmie Valley School District Board of Directors received an update on Career and Technical Education from Director Michelle Cheney that outlined program growth, new course offerings and persistent barriers to student access to internships and job shadows.
Cheney told the board the district now employs 36 CTE teachers and offers 71 courses across six program areas aligned with 12 national career clusters. She said 238 of 474 graduating seniors were CTE concentrators—students who completed two or more credits in a single pathway—and that about 37 percent of those concentrators earned industry certification. "We have in CTE, we have 36 teachers," Cheney said.
The update highlighted three district goals: build viable career pathways tied to labor demand, expand access to career exploration including work-based learning and certifications, and improve communication with families and partners. Cheney said the district is in its third year of K–12 computer science alignment and added three new middle-school courses: Animation, Art and AI; Robotics, Engineering and Programming; and Advanced Programming and Innovation. "We're in our third year of that alignment," Cheney said.
Cheney described growth in dual-credit offerings and work-based learning participation. She reported that, per district Skyward data, work-based learning contacts and certification entries have increased over three years and that 88 percent of concentrators participated in one or more work-based learning activities. She also described new programs and pilots, including Core Plus Maritime, Baking and Pastry II, Project Management year two, a robotic welder pilot and a forensic decomposition lab used with Washington Fish and Wildlife.
Board members and staff pressed on access barriers. Cheney and board members said obtaining one-on-one job shadows and internships is limited by the availability of community partners, required paperwork and age restrictions—"some of the paperwork that we have to do" and employer minimum- age rules that restrict many opportunities to students 18 and over. Cheney said transportation and student schedules also limit participation in off-site programs such as the cooperative skills center (referred to in the meeting as Wanek/Wanock), and noted counselors work to place students but that shorter, discrete experiences are often more feasible for busy students.
A parent who identified herself as Caitlin said her son, a senior, participated in the marine welding program and had decided to pursue welding as a career after the experience. "He's in the marine welding program right now ... he has decided that's what he wants to do for his career," she said.
Cheney identified outreach steps the district is using to increase awareness—an updated CTE scoreboard on the district website, social media features during CTE month, expanded career fairs and advisory committees that include industry partners. She asked the board for continued support to build employer connections and to streamline pathways for students to obtain short-term, meaningful workplace experiences.
No formal board action was taken; the presentation was an information item. Board members thanked staff and directed continued work on partnerships, outreach and reporting to future meetings.
