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District highlights career and technical education expansions, grants and industry certifications
Summary
Staff updated the board on CTE enrollment, pathways, industry certification pass rates, CAPE and appropriations grants, and new welding positions funded by grants for 2025–26.
District staff presented a progress report on Career and Technical Education (CTE), detailing enrollment, industry certifications, new grant-funded positions and plans to expand programs across high schools.
CTE numbers: staff said CTE serves 2,121 distinct students and more than 3,000 CTE course seats across 63 courses, 24 pathways, 9 clusters and 41 industry certifications. Staff highlighted examples: strong pass rates for Adobe and AutoCAD certifications, successful participation in FFA contests at the county fair, and cooperative work-based education (CDE) with more than 75 Citrus County businesses.
Grants and capital: presenters described multiple grants including a high-school CAP grant for welding (approximately $2,037,000 total with $1.5 million in fixed capital), a construction appropriations grant (about $91,000), and other awards that require encumbrance and liquidation by dates in 2026–2027. Staff said they had posted three welding positions across high schools and scheduled programs to start in 2025–26 to meet grant requirements.
Program highlights: staff reported Nature Coast Investment Practicum student investment funds had grown from a $25,000 seed to roughly $932,000 and that the district will expand aspects of that program to other high schools. Other CTE highlights included culinary arts, early-childhood programs that prepare students for DCF/CDA credentials, digital-design work producing local-business websites, and partnerships for real-world experiences.
Why it matters: staff and board members framed CTE as providing alternative pathways to careers, strengthening school-business ties and serving both college-bound and career-directed students. Presenters cautioned that proposed state funding changes to CAPE and related weighted funding could jeopardize program funding.
Next steps: staff will proceed with grant implementation and program start-up for 2025–26, continue expanding industry certifications and monitor state funding proposals affecting CAPE and dual-enrollment weightings.
