Dozens of students and teachers urge board to keep campus CTE programs; board approves special counsel and authorizes conditional legal action on EVIT IGA

Dozens of students, parents and teachers used the Sept. 10 public-comment period at a Chandler Unified School District board meeting to urge the board not to transfer career and technical education classes from high school campuses to the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT). Later the board authorized outside counsel for matters related to an EVIT satellite intergovernmental agreement and approved conditional legal authorization to sue “if needed.”

Why it matters: Commenters said on-campus CTE provides access to industry certifications, leadership and club activities, and immediate participation in school life — benefits they said would be lost or made infeasible if classes moved off campus to EVIT. The board’s subsequent direction to counsel signals the dispute over an EVIT satellite IGA has moved into formal legal review.

What speakers said: Students, CTE teachers and parents described practical barriers and educational losses if programs shift off site. Maya Archie, a Basha High School student, said staying on-campus keeps students “connected to my…