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Consultant urges mix of regional CTE, in-house programs and low-cost ELOs for Londonderry students
Summary
A consultant presented options for career-connected learning to the Londonderry School Board, urging the district to balance regional CTE partnerships with lower-cost, in-house Extended Learning Opportunities and to build community buy-in before making large capital investments.
Steve Rothenberg, a consultant on career-connected learning, told the Londonderry School Board on June 17 that the district should weigh returns on investment before building large career-technical facilities and should expand low-cost Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) and partnerships with regional centers.
Rothenberg said the district already sends a significant number of students to regional CTE programs and that some investments — like a full welding shop — require multi‑million‑dollar facilities and a regional student footprint to be cost-effective. "If we went there...we would never get our investment back," he said, describing facility costs and annual per‑student expenditures for regional placements. He recommended starting with smaller, in‑house or ELO-based options where feasible and maximizing use of nearby CTE centers.
The consultant presented three broad strategies: strengthen ties to regional career and technical education centers; develop some in‑house career‑technical programs where the district has capital or staff capacity; and scale ELOs (job shadows, short explorations, group ELOs) that let students sample careers without heavy upfront costs. Rothenberg said ELOs can be personalized, low investment and largely personnel-driven: "You don't need a building. You start leveraging all these things around you."
Board members and staff described work already under way, including counseling staff efforts to structure ELOs and an initial group ELO with the fire department. Rothenberg cited district data showing enrollment in outside CTE programs (three‑year pattern summarized in a handout) and gave specific examples: about 149 students this year spent one period a day at an outside CTE center, and the district currently spends roughly $2,000–$3,000 per student per year for those placements. He said a large, purpose‑built welding facility might cost in the realm of $3 million to build and equip, which makes regional centers preferable for some trades.
Rothenberg also recommended recruiting "career changers" — experienced industry professionals who transition into teaching — and building supportive school cultures for them, not simply treating those hires like traditional teachers. He outlined a multi‑pathway approach that includes diverse CTE programs, early college, work‑based learning and local career‑connected classes.
Board members asked about data and next steps. Rothenberg and staff agreed the immediate focus should be to expand ELOs, continue maximizing opportunities at existing regional CTE centers (Manchester School of Technology, Alvern and Salem were cited as regional examples), and develop a plan to measure student outcomes beyond high school. He emphasized community education: public mindset about career pathways must shift alongside program expansion.
No formal board action was taken on the presentation; the session ended with board members expressing support for pursuing ELO development and stronger regional partnerships and asking staff to return with implementation details.
For now, staff will continue work on ELO frameworks, counseling‑led processes for student screening and steps to expand placements at regional CTE centers while tracking costs and student interest.
Rothenberg closed by reminding the board that career-connected learning complements — rather than replaces — college preparation: "We're augmenting it with career connected learning," he said.
