Idaho lawmakers press CTE on $10 million governor proposal as waitlists grow for welding, nursing

The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Feb. 10 heard an overview of the Division of Career Technical Education’s base budget and FY2026 requests, including a $10 million ongoing recommendation from the governor to expand capacity in high‑demand CTE programs such as welding and nursing.

Kevin Campbell, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, told the committee CTE’s budget has grown by roughly $16.6 million over five years and highlighted a mix of ongoing and one‑time appropriations in recent years, including a $5 million ongoing appropriation for CTE readiness in middle and high schools and one‑time appropriations of $10 million and $5 million for secondary program investments and postsecondary equipment respectively.

Joshua Whitworth, executive director for the State Board and interim administrator for the CTE division, told lawmakers demand for CTE programs “is massive” and said waitlists remain for several programs. “We are seeing large demand across the entire career technical education ecosystem,” Whitworth said. He said welding and nursing were among the oversubscribed programs the division is monitoring.

Why it matters: Committee members said the $10 million ongoing recommendation is an unusually large, recurring request and sought detail on how funds would be targeted, how the division would ensure oversight, and whether industry would be required to match dollars under the proposal. Whitworth described the governor’s package as a grant‑style approach that would prioritize programs tied to employer demand and expected industry…