Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Career Technical Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Solanco board hears proposal for high‑school drone lab, curriculum to go in December planning guide
Summary
A Solanco High School teacher proposed a drone lab course aimed at FAA Part 107 certification and career pathways. The board discussed costs, student interest, vendor partnerships and next steps; the course will be submitted to the districteducation planning guide for December review.
A Solanco High School teacher on Oct. 20 proposed a new drone lab course that would prepare eligible juniors and seniors to take the Federal Aviation Administration's remote pilot (Part 107) exam and pursue drone‑related careers.
The proposal, presented by Josh Fleming, said the class would aim to leave students with industry credentials and real‑world applications ranging from aerial inspection and mapping to precision agriculture and public safety partnerships. "This is all AI generated," Fleming prefaced a short vision video for the board, then outlined the course goals, noting: "It's a 60 multiple choice question test, 70% to pass it," referring to the FAA Part 107 exam and adding that the district would help students prepare and pursue the certification.
Board members and administrators discussed why the course matters and how it would be implemented. District administrators said Fleming surveyed students and found roughly 56% overall interest and about 60% interest among students who would be eligible to take the FAA exam (16 and older). Fleming said there are testing centers within a 40‑minute drive (one in Maryland and one in Lititz), a typical exam fee of $175 per test taker, and an 84% pass rate among people who attempt the exam, as reported in his presentation.
The proposal included vendor and partner outreach. Fleming identified a vendor he favored for curriculum and equipment (referred to in the meeting as Darkdrones), and described a developing list of local partners that could provide guest speakers, site visits or practical projects: Lancaster County Technical Center (Lancaster CTC), Penn State Agricultural Extension, Lancaster city police drone team, the Civil Air Patrol, energy/utility firms, precision agriculture vendors and local drone entrepreneurs. Fleming said he had already consulted with the FAA on regulatory questions.
Finance and logistics were discussed in detail. District staff said startup equipment estimates varied: Fleming and staff discussed purchasing four drones with a vendor price range cited in the presentation from about $3,000 to $8,000 per unit depending on configuration. District staff also raised recurring costs and training: administrators described a planned training for the teacher in January and flagged the per‑student exam fee as a potential barrier. One district official noted the exam fee and projected a class size of roughly 20 students as an item the district would need to budget for; board members asked whether the district would cover exam fees or treat them similarly to AP exam fees.
Board members raised implementation questions the proposal itself had anticipated: student maturity and selection (only juniors and seniors would be eligible to take the FAA exam), prerequisites or teacher recommendations to manage high interest versus student commitment, and airspace restrictions including geofencing and temporary flight restrictions for events such as a presidential visit. Fleming and district staff said they would research how geofenced airspace interacts with scheduled flights at school practice ranges and would consult the FAA and the local Flight Standards District Office as needed.
Administrators described the next procedural steps. Superintendent Dr. Bliss told the board the proposal would be entered into the district's education planning guide in December for formal review. "If and and when the Ed planning guide is up for approval, if it's passed, then it's in the Ed planning guide course selection booklet for next year," Dr. Bliss said. Board members said they would review the planning guide and expected a report back next year on implementation if the course is approved.
Fleming asked the board and the community for help connecting with additional industry partners; administrators said recurring costs could be absorbed into department budgets if the program moved forward.
The meeting did not include a formal board vote on the course during the Oct. 20 meeting; the proposed procedural step recorded on the transcript is submission to the December education planning guide for consideration.
