District shifts ag program into four two-year pathways after industry review

The Watertown School District 14-4 Board of Education approved a redesign of its long-standing agriculture program to create four distinct two-year pathways after receiving recommendations from regional agriculture industry leaders.

District administrators told the board the change responds to employer feedback that students require more specialized skills and interpersonal training for current ag-sector roles. Under the new structure, incoming students would choose among precision ag technology, production agriculture, agriculture business and livestock production and management. The changes preserve shared credits and aim to align curriculum with industry needs for equipment technicians, agribusiness roles, crop and livestock managers and animal genetics technicians.

District staff said the shift is the first formal program restructure prompted by a year of advisory meetings with regional ag executives and sector specialists. The board approved forwarding the proposal to the State Board of Technical Education at its October meeting; if the state board approves, the revision would take effect for the 2026-27 school year with a planned transition period so current students finish under the curriculum in place when they started.

Board members asked about staffing impacts; administration said current faculty have begun evolving course content and that additional hires would be considered only if enrollment increases. Administrators emphasized the program remains flexible to match industry changes, noting "precision agriculture" emerged as a field with rapid recent growth.

The motion to approve the revisions passed by voice vote.