Sandpoint School District wins $3.5 million CTEC grant; $18.2 million allocated to middle‑school renovation
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Becky Meyer told the council that the district will house a new Career Technical Education Center at Sandpoint High School and that state funds will support a major renovation of Sandpoint Middle School.
Dr. Becky (Becky) Meyer, superintendent of the Lake Pend Oreille School District, told the City Council during public comment on Feb. 5 that the district received $3.5 million from an Idaho career‑technical grant (ICRS) to start a Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) serving students across North Idaho, and that the district also has $18.2 million allocated for a complete renovation of Sandpoint Middle School under House Bill 521.
Meyer said the CTEC — the Career Technical Education Center of North Idaho — will offer programs including residential carpentry, health occupations, sports medicine, automotive and information technology, with future plans to expand culinary arts. She said the district chose to site the first phase of CTEC on the south end of Sandpoint High School so students who lack transportation would have better access. "We're breaking ground this summer... hopefully open fall of 2026," Meyer said, adding that portable classrooms on the high school south campus will be moved this summer to begin construction.
On the middle‑school project, Meyer said the district received $18,200,000 and plans a complete renovation that will address electrical and plumbing systems. She said the design and community input phase will take roughly a year and the district expects to move into the renovated facility in fall 2028. "We have initial designs. They went out to bid for contractors... we will be moving in in the fall of 2028," she said.
Meyer also said the district is pursuing a JROTC program pending student interest and reported that the district will run evacuation and reunification drills in coordination with local law enforcement and school officials; she noted the district completed a successful drill at Clark Fork High School and plans to expand district‑wide over the next three years.
Why it matters: The CTEC grant and the middle‑school renovation represent multi‑year capital investments that will expand career training and modernize a key district facility. The CTEC grant in particular aims to serve students from multiple counties and was modeled on successful programs such as KTEC in Coeur d'Alene, which has high job placement rates.
Meyer invited city staff and council members to partner on workforce and industry connections; Councilman Rick Howarth and others pointed to local aviation and aerospace employers as potential partners for training and job placement.
