Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ctes Healthcare topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
35 Farmington students ask board to fund finishing year two of MCAPS healthcare pathway after proposed cut
Summary
Year-1 students in the district's health-care pathway told the board they should be allowed to finish year two at Prior Lake after the district recommended ending the partnership; students and parents asked the board to use unassigned fund balance or other one-time funding to preserve the promised second year.
A group of 35 Farmington students enrolled in year‑one of the district’s MCAPS (MedCAPS/health-care) pathway appealed to the Farmington School Board to fund and preserve their promised second year after the administration recommended ceasing the district’s current placement partnership for certain MCAPS offerings.
Lily Brunning, a student participant, said the second year of the program provides training to earn a CNA certification and essential clinical hours; she and classmate McKenna Underwood said MCAPS cannot be replicated locally for fall 2025 without significant time and capital investment. McKenna said the Prior Lake program had confirmed it could accept all 35 students into its year-two cohort if Farmington secures funding and transportation.
Parents and staff urged the board to use the district’s unassigned fund balance or some other one-time funding source to allow the cohort to finish the two‑year sequence. Ginny Running, a lifelong special-education teacher and parent, told the board that MCAPS requires specialized lab space and credentialed instructors that the district does not now have in place.
District response and status
Administrators told the board they were pursuing multiple pathways to restore on-site year-two capacity for the healthcare pathway over time and that outreach with local health systems and partners continued. The administration said it had been actively pursuing replacement options and partnerships but that no immediate replacement was ready for fall 2025; they described Principal Meyer and others working “aggressively” on solutions.
The board approved the initial budget realignment that included a recommendation to cease the current MCAPS placement model; administrators said the district would continue to pursue replacement options and would return with more information as they develop plans and costs.
Ending
Students and parents asked for timely follow-up; the administration and board said they would report additional details as negotiations and planning continue.
