Former lawmaker urges regional 9–12 district around Hannaford Career Center to boost technical training

Former Representative Jay Sharp told the Committee on Commerce & Economic Development on March 18, 2025 that making the Hannaford Career Center the school district responsible for grades 9–12 in Addison County could remove both financial and geographic barriers that limit student participation in career and technical education (CTE).

Sharp described two primary barriers to CTE participation: cost and distance. He said that under current funding arrangements, “every school district in the state has to budget x number of dollars. In Addison County, that's $34,000 for every student that goes to the Hannaford Career Center,” and that high per‑student CTE costs and low enrollment make it difficult for academic high schools to absorb those costs without losing staff or programs. He also said travel time to standalone technical centers discourages students from enrolling.

Sharp, who identified his background in automotive technology and teaching at the Hannaford Center and the Essex Technical Center, proposed a governance change that would place all grades 9–12 students in Addison County under the Hannaford Career Center board. He said such a structure would create a single, countywide budget and reduce the incentive for academic high schools to withhold students from the technical center. “My dream for Addison County would be that we would have a comprehensive high school. That means career, technical, and academic education in the same building,” he said.

Sharp suggested that construction funding be conditioned to encourage consolidation of technical centers with at least one academic high school and that elementary districts be left unchanged to preserve community schools. He recommended the Legislature consider a summer study committee to evaluate whether a similar approach would work in other regions.

Committee members raised questions about the idea’s statewide applicability, curriculum alignment and political feasibility. One member cautioned that separating pre‑K–8 from 9–12 governance could hinder curricular continuity; another asked about transportation for students at the county’s outer edges. Sharp responded that busing already serves many students to the tech center and said the longer‑term vision could include building a centrally located campus to reduce travel times.

Sharp also discussed adult education and pathways from CTE to state colleges, saying apprenticeships and college transitions need further strengthening. Nicole Matavish, the Hannaford Career Center superintendent, was invited to meet with the committee for additional detail; committee members said they may pursue further study but took no formal action during the March 18 meeting.

The committee did not vote on the proposal. Members asked Sharp to supply additional information and noted the political and logistical challenges of any restructuring.