Western Montgomery Career & Technology Center presents budget proposal, seeks assistant principal and equipment grants

Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center officials presented the center’s budget outlook and program updates to the Spring-Ford Area School District Board of School Directors on Feb. 24, emphasizing steady enrollment, new equipment funded by grants, and a request to add an assistant principal to the staff.

The presentation matters because WMCTC serves students from multiple districts, and changes in its staffing and capital equipment will affect participating districts’ contributions and students’ access to career and technical education (CTE) programs.

Administrative director Mr. Livingood told the board WMCTC enrolls roughly 700 students overall and currently has 41 students on cooperative placements. He said the district’s share of the center’s budget for Spring-Ford is projected at $2,614,468 for next year, a decrease of about $57,002 (a 2.13% decline) from the prior year when calculated on the five-year average daily membership WMCTC uses to apportion costs among sending districts. He said the center’s enrollment has fluctuated but the five-year average smooths those changes.

Livingood outlined…