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CTE director lays out K–12 plan, seeks Perkins reserve grant and Ivy Tech partnerships
Summary
Catherine Broadnax, the district’s new career and technical education director, presented a K–12 CTE plan on Oct. 28 that responds to a February 2025 audit, targets low-enrollment pathways, seeks a $150,000 Perkins reserve grant and aims to expand dual-credit and industry certification options through Ivy Tech and local employers.
Catherine Broadnax, the School City of East Chicago’s newly appointed director of career and technical education, told the board on Oct. 28 that the district must increase capstone courses, industry certifications and work‑based learning to raise program quality and better connect students to jobs and college.
Broadnax said the district was audited in February 2025 and identified five areas of concern. She said the audit showed the district currently offers one capstone course in education professions and that eight of the 32 high‑school CTE programs reported low enrollment. To address that, she proposed offering additional capstone courses in the spring, expanding dual‑credit agreements and building employer partnerships for work‑based learning.
"Your future starts now," Broadnax said, introducing slides that listed priorities including dual credit, industry certifications, work‑based learning and student organizations. She said about 12 to 13 pathways are active and that several program offerings are being restructured into clearer pathways, with a target of embedding dual credit where feasible.
Broadnax described current and prospective grant funding. She said the district has applied for a Perkins reserve grant worth $150,000 that would fund automotive, construction, advanced manufacturing and welding programs and that decision on that application is expected by Dec. 25. She also outlined the district’s Carl Perkins funding, saying the district’s CTE budget brings in roughly $450,000 in total funding sources and that the Perkins allocation awarded this school year is $155,000.
To raise program quality measures, Broadnax said the district would increase dual‑credit offerings (Ivy Tech has declined some programs for dual credit so far), connect teachers to industry certification options, and form an advisory committee to meet Nov. 20 from 3 to 5 p.m. She also described a marketing and branding approach for each program pathway and plans to use an asset‑tracking and quarterly budget reporting process for Perkins invoices.
Trustees asked about the number of programs and dual‑credit availability. Broadnax said computer science, education, radio/TV and digital design did not yet offer dual credit but that the district is pursuing agreements with Ivy Tech and will include culinary in a potential MOU because Ivy Tech has an open teaching kitchen. Multiple trustees praised Broadnax’s early progress since she started three months ago.
Next steps: Broadnax said staff will continue grant writing, finalize dual‑credit MOUs where possible, develop the advisory committee on Nov. 20 and report quarterly on Perkins spending and progress toward capstone and industry certification goals.
