Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Vocational Education Crtc topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District officials warn of funding shortfall for Concord Regional Technical Center as state share falls
Summary
District leaders told the board that the state’s share of tuition for Concord Regional Technical Center (CRTC) programs has declined sharply, leaving the John Stark Regional School District with a projected appropriation shortfall. Staff outlined options including limiting enrollment, insourcing programs, or shifting budget lines.
District officials told the John Stark Regional School District School Board that the district faces a growing funding shortfall for students who attend the Concord Regional Technical Center (CRTC), citing a decline in the state’s share of tuition payments.
Dr. Coe explained the mechanics of the change: “the state has, an obligation to fund 75% in statute of the cost for tuition,” and said the percentage the state actually paid the district has fallen in recent years — from roughly 62% down to 42% this year — while the district’s costs and the number of participating students have increased.
Business administrator Chris briefed the board that the district currently has an appropriation of about $189,000 for CRTC tuition. Based on current participation and the state underfunding, he told the board the district would need roughly $302,000 this year to cover current students and last year’s underpayment and estimated approximately $308,000 for the following year if trends continue.
Board members and staff discussed options to reduce the district’s liability. Ideas included limiting new student enrollments (for example, not accepting new sophomores), reducing numbers by cutting some program offerings, or exploring whether some CRTC programs could be run in-district (“insourcing”) with an estimated trade-off of personnel, equipment and facilities costs. Chris cautioned such an analysis could take time and likely would not be feasible for the coming school year.
One member of the public, Denise, urged the board to present the amount the state has historically not provided to the district, and suggested the board highlight the gap in public communications with state lawmakers. Denise said, “we found out the 50% to the 42% in the last couple of weeks” and urged the board to show how state underfunding shifts costs to local taxpayers.
Board members asked staff to include more detail in the proposed budget presentation and to pursue potential transportation grants and other reimbursements that could offset some costs. Chris said he was exploring a state grant that might reimburse transportation costs from last year.
Ending: Staff said they will return to the board with further analysis and recommended appropriation figures when the budget is finalized; no formal vote was taken on altering CRTC participation during this meeting.
