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College of Eastern Idaho asks for targeted CTE funding, warns of major capacity constraints
Summary
College of Eastern Idaho President Lori Barber told JFAC that CEI has grown rapidly since 2017, has large wait lists for CTE programs, and is requesting a portion of proposed statewide CTE funds — specifically asking for at least $2 million ongoing from the community/technical college allocation.
College of Eastern Idaho President Lori Barber told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee that CEI has expanded quickly since 2017 and is constrained by facilities, faculty and equipment as it seeks to meet regional employer demand.
Barber said CEI grew from about 700 students when it was Eastern Idaho Technical College to roughly 3,600 degree‑seeking students and more than 14,000 workforce‑training participants. She told the committee that on the college's existing campus a space that once served roughly 1,000 credit students now serves just under 4,000, stretching parking, facilities and staff.
Why it matters: CEI officials said local employers — including national laboratories and area hospitals — are expanding and the college needs capacity to prepare local workers for open positions that often require 1–2 year certificates. Barber said the college had 465 students who wanted a place in CTE programs in fall 2024 that it could not accommodate.
Barber discussed partnerships with industry: she said Idaho National Laboratory provided instructors that helped nearly double CEI's cybersecurity enrollment and that Teton Toyota partnered on an on‑the‑job micro‑credential program for auto technicians.
Budget details: Kevin Campbell of the Legislative Services Office summarized CEI's budget history and reported a FY2024 appropriation of $7,003,700. Campbell said CEI typically spends 100 percent of its state appropriation; the materials showed CEI had EWA additions and enhancements in recent years and listed a $413,200 enrollment workload adjustment in FY2025 materials.
Barber asked the committee to support the governor's proposed postsecondary funding allocation and to direct a portion of it to the community and technical colleges' CTE needs. "An increase in our general fund allocation from that $10,000,000 of at least $2,000,000 ongoing would be absolutely transformational," she said.
Barber and other CEI leaders provided specific cost estimates for compensation: she said bringing 20 full‑time faculty members up to the K‑12 average salary (about $62,000) and raising adjunct pay would require roughly $2.26 million. She also described losing staff to private industry when employers offered substantially higher pay for comparable roles.
Committee members asked for additional information and noted the $25 million pot the governor proposed for postsecondary institutions, including a $10 million ongoing bucket for community and technical colleges. The committee did not take formal action; members invited staff to work with college and agency analysts to refine allocations and EWA calculations.
Looking ahead: Barber said CEI's rapid growth and employer demand make targeted investment necessary to expand CTE capacity, modernize equipment, hire faculty and increase student support services so the college can place graduates into local high‑wage jobs.
