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Senators press DEED on CTE increments; officials say $600,000 for programs of study will include plumbing and electrician pathways but seek to clarify overlap
Summary
The Department of Education told the Senate Finance subcommittee it plans to use a proposed $600,000 FY26 increment to develop career and technical education programs of study that can include plumbing and electrician pathways, and department staff agreed to provide written clarification to distinguish that work from a separate $300,000 one‑time appropriation for plumbing and electrician programs.
Deputy Director Kelly Manning reviewed the department's use of a $750,000 FY25 increment for career and technical education and outlined a FY26 proposal that includes a $600,000 request to develop and expand career and technical education programs of study (CTEPs). Manning listed specific FY25 uses: $210,000 to maintain support for career and technical student organizations (CTSOs), $340,000 for implementation of the career guidance model, $175,000 for computer-coding credential pathways, and $25,000 for the Alaska Education Exchange. For FY26, she said the department proposes $210,000 for CTSOs, $440,000 to expand and refine the career guidance model, and $600,000 to develop and expand CTEPs.
Senators raised a question about a separate one-time $300,000 item intended to stand up plumbing and electrician programs and whether the $600,000 CTEP request duplicates that work. Manning said the CTEPs would include plumbing and electrician pathways as one component among a broader set of program development activities and that districts would apply for funds through competitive or application processes. She said the $600,000 is not intended to be a dollar-for-dollar duplication of the $300,000 one-time plumbing/electrician investment but agreed to provide a written explanation delineating the programs and how the funding streams differ.
Senators also asked for a clearer list of which districts are participating in CTSOs and other CTE supports; Manning said some supports operate across district partnerships rather than a single district and that the department will provide a more complete participation list on request.
