CTE report: certification rates up, CAPS expansion and industry partnerships increase
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Summary
CTE leaders reported a substantial increase in student skill certifications and expanding work-based learning and CAPS opportunities, while warning that personnel costs and state funding cuts are squeezing supplies and CTSO support.
The district’s career and technical education (CTE) team reported increases in program participation, certification rates and industry partnerships, and outlined expansion plans for the CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) program.
A newly installed CTE director said Cache County offers 25 distinct CTE pathways with 41 concentrator courses across 14 career clusters and highlighted measurable growth: the district’s CTE skill-certification rate rose from about 51.6 percent in 2021 to approximately 72.8 percent most recently. The presenter attributed part of that improvement to wider use of pretesting in CTE classes and other instructional practices.
The district hired a work-based learning coordinator and reported a tripling of industry partners over recent years, the presenter said, and described nearly 30 industry field trips, internships and industry-sponsored scholarships in 2024–25. The new CAPS strand debuted with education and business/entrepreneurship projects and enrolled about 100 students; the district plans to add engineering/automation, creative computing and later health/science strands.
Presenters noted financial pressures: about 83 percent of the CTE budget currently pays salaries and benefits, leaving about 17 percent for supplies, equipment and CTSO support. The presenter said state funding cuts (including reduced CTSO funding and middle-school college/career awareness allocations) have increased pressure on local CTE budgets.
Why this matters: rising certification and industry partnership rates suggest stronger career-readiness outcomes, while funding shifts and rising personnel costs may constrain program expansion without additional resources.
