State officials outline plan to centralize CTE governance; key funding, curriculum and transportation questions remain

Secretary of Education Zoe Saunders told the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development on March 18, 2025, that state staff are developing a proposal to centralize career and technical education (CTE) under a single CTE BOCES and had highlighted “key decision points” for the committee to consider. Saunders said the plan outlines roles and responsibilities for the Agency of Education, a CTE BOCES executive office, tech-center directors and sending districts, and compares the current configuration with options under the governor’s five-district K–12 proposal.

The proposal’s stated benefits include a unified statewide CTE vision, a coordinated federal Perkins plan, standardized curriculum and consistent professional development for CTE educators, a common approach to enrollment and admissions policies, and a consistent approach to data collection and reporting. “APA’s recommendation is that staff are employed by the BOCES in this model,” Saunders said when asked where tech-center staff would be employed.

The agency described its continuing responsibilities in the proposed model: statewide oversight and monitoring for federal and state requirements, site visits to CTE centers, coordinating state-led professional development and technical assistance, credential mapping, data management and analysis, coordination with postsecondary and workforce partners and teacher licensure. Saunders said the agency will remain responsible for compliance and accountability work even if some operational functions shift to the CTE BOCES.

Committee members…