Washtenaw CTE coordinator urges countywide funding, pilots aviation and trades programs

Dr. Ryan Rowe, the Washtenaw Intermediate School District official leading the countywide CTE effort, told the Saline Area Schools Board of Education on Feb. 11 that the county faces persistent funding shortfalls that limit student access to career and technical education.

Rowe said Washtenaw County collects about $1.4 million from federal Perkins and local added-cost funds to support 71 CTE programs — roughly $585,000 in Perkins funds and $800,000 in added-cost dollars — and contrasted that with Lenawee County, which collects about $14 million for CTE. He said a countywide vocational millage could produce an estimated $20 million per 1-mill levy, and that the absence of such a millage has created “CTE deserts” and inequitable access across districts.

The MSP/ISD-led effort is using a $5 million state implementation grant to expand capacity immediately and demonstrate models that could be sustained with a funding plan, Rowe said. He outlined three countywide pilots planned for the coming school year: aviation/aerospace (including FAA Part 107 drone certification and pathways to Eastern Michigan University), engineering and construction trades, and a “best leadership” capstone that pairs CTE coursework with internships and management certificates at Washtenaw Community College.

Rowe described structural barriers the county faces: a decentralized system in which districts operate separate programs and teachers are employed locally, transportation complications, high local demand with insufficient supply, and a lack of countywide career awareness. He said the ISD recently funded regional staff roles — a countywide work-based learning coordinator, special populations coordinator, data specialist and grant manager — to centralize services and reduce duplication.

On program costs and student demand, Rowe cited specific grant amounts the county received to modernize equipment and expand programming: a CTE equipment allocation of about $535,000 in one year, $576,000 the next and roughly $1,153,000 the following year. He summarized the multi-year infusion as enabling updates that otherwise would have taken a decade. Rowe also gave examples of student demand and local employer need: “We have 47 students on a wait list for health science. We need RNs,” he told the board.

Board members asked about private-sector support for certification exam costs and about shorter-term wins for younger students. Rowe said employers, postsecondary partners and local foundations have contributed scholarships and supports but that a sustainable funding model cannot rely solely on philanthropy. He proposed career exploration camps, expanded middle-school exposure to Project Lead The Way courses and regional neutral-site programs to increase access for districts with transportation or capacity constraints.

Rowe said the ISD will roll out a countywide communications campaign and host a community summit on March 18 to present findings and pilots. He told the board that polling and a possible public vote on a countywide funding model could be considered for November 2025.

The presentation did not include a board vote; it was an informational briefing and Q&A. Rowe said the ISD will return to boards across the county with regular updates as pilots launch.