La Porte ISD expands CTE offerings, projects 300-plus industry certifications for next senior class

La Porte Independent School District administrators on Tuesday provided a detailed update on career and technical education (CTE) programs that officials say prepare students for local, high-demand jobs.

CTE leaders told trustees the district now offers 15 programs of study across 10 of the 14 nationally recognized CTE career clusters and that roughly 82% of La Porte students are enrolled in at least one CTE course. Officials said the district offers about 18 different industry-based certifications (IBCs) and projects the senior class will earn more than 300 certifications by graduation.

District staff highlighted current certification outcomes and program strengths: as of the update, 23 students had completed food-manager certification, 10 students had earned social-media-marketing certificates, and 19 students had earned ASD refrigerant recovery and recycling certification tied to the automotive program. Presenters noted many certification exams are administered in April and May and that totals are expected to grow as testing finishes.

Administrators emphasized alignment between CTE offerings and regional workforce needs. Presenters said La Porte offers programs in nursing-related pathways, transportation (including maritime in partnership with San Jacinto College), welding, advanced manufacturing and education pathways. The district plans to expand computer science offerings, replace a medical-billing-and-coding course with a medical-assistant pathway, and add two junior-high CTE courses so eighth-graders can earn high-school credit in Principles of Applied Engineering.

Dr. Griffin, who led part of the presentation, said the district is moving earlier into students’ K–12 experience so they can complete sequenced pathways that culminate in practicum experiences and industry credentials. He described plans to begin a Project Lead The Way engineering sequence at the junior-high level so eighth-graders can earn a high-school credit before entering ninth grade.

CTE leaders also reported recent external support and competitive awards: - Grants: the district received $10,000 awards for 2025–26 from both Chevron and Phillips 66 to support CTE programs, presenters said. - Partnerships: San Jacinto College campus visits and dual-enrollment opportunities were credited with steering some students into certificate programs (presenters described an example of a former La Porte student who enrolled at San Jacinto after a high-school visit). - Planned expansions: a dedicated culinary catering class and a competitive welding team are planned; the district plans more structured practicum classes tied to certifications.

Administrators said the district will streamline some program offerings (for example, moving away from plant-science tracks toward animal-related agriculture where student demand is higher) and will align all pathways to include a culminating practicum and an IBC to meet the state’s Career and College Military Readiness (CCMR) expectations.

No formal board action was taken on CTE items; leaders framed the update as informational and described steps the district will take to add junior-high offerings and coordinate with San Jacinto College and local employers.

The board asked clarifying questions about industry alignment, testing windows and student opportunities; presenters emphasized on‑campus and off‑campus job-shadowing, school-based business operations (a student-run school store) and expanding early career exploration into elementary grades.

The superintendent and trustees praised teachers and community partners for supporting CTE programming. The district expects certification numbers to rise as spring testing completes.