Southwest Metro superintendent outlines services, apprenticeship pilot and staffing challenges

Jeff Wharton, superintendent of Southwest Metro (Intermediate School District 288), told the Shakopee board on April 14 that the intermediate district provides specialized services across member districts, including adult education, career and technical education, alternative learning, and special education programs.

Wharton said the intermediate district is defined in statute to emphasize secondary, postsecondary and adult learners and described a recent gap analysis and strategic needs assessments across member districts. He said Southwest Metro serves a range of programs including adult education (citizenship, English-language classes, GED prep), alternative learning centers, online courses, career-technical pathways, and care-and-treatment settings to meet students’ mental‑health needs.

On workforce development, Wharton highlighted ITRAC, a teacher apprenticeship program that he said is the first registered apprenticeship program for education in the state; the program seeks funding renewal in the ongoing legislative session. He also described Drive for 5, a partnership to support entry to the workforce for qualifying adults.

Wharton said hiring — particularly for special education positions, which require specific licensure and staffing ratios — is “challenging,” and that when he started in July a large share of positions were open. He also described a multi‑step needs-assessment process the district is using to build a “portrait of a graduate” through extensive community engagement.

Board members asked about how the intermediate district’s budget and cost-sharing work; Wharton and board members described member-district cost allocation based on program usage and noted that Shakopee is currently the largest user of Southwest Metro services.

Ending: Wharton said the district will finalize strategic goals and then set a budget that reflects priorities identified through engagement and needs assessments.