Committee reviews Senate change letting regional CTE centers provide transport for out-of-region students

The House Education Committee reviewed Senate amendments to H.480 that address enrollment and transportation when secondary students attend career and technical education (CTE) centers outside their assigned service region.

Under the amendment, secondary students may apply to CTE programs outside their assigned region when the home service center does not offer the program or a student cannot enroll in a desired program. If the receiving CTE center accepts the student under that provision, the sending district must pay tuition pursuant to an agreement specifying cost coverage. Beginning in the 2025–26 school year, a regional CTE center may provide transportation to and from the center for students living outside the center’s service region if the student is attending pursuant to that out-of-region enrollment provision.

The amendment further states that any changes in tuition charged by a CTE center because of accepting out-of-region students must be reconciled through the tuition reconciliation process outlined in State Board rules. The amendment also requires home districts that maintain a secondary school to provide directory information of enrolled students to out-of-region CTE centers for the limited purpose of informing students and parents about CTE offerings in specific situations, such as when the assigned CTE center has a waitlist or denied entry to a program.

Legislative Counsel told the committee the transportation allowance is permissive, not mandatory, and the plain language does not require districts to provide transportation for out-of-region students. The committee did not take a formal vote on the amendment at the meeting.