Board hears proposal for new CTE pathway, drone lab and AP courses at Solanco High
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Summary
Dr. Long presented a proposal to add six new courses — including AP cybersecurity, AP Environmental Science and a funded drone lab — and to pursue PDE approval of a new 'General Education' CTE pathway that could yield articulated college credit for completers.
Dr. Long told the board that the district plans to introduce six new courses next year and is pursuing approval of a new CTE "General Education" pathway aimed at preparing students for careers in teaching and education.
"We actually have some substantial changes in our high planning guide. We have six new courses that we're proposing that'll start up next year," Dr. Long said. He highlighted three standalone course proposals — an AP cybersecurity course led by Josh Fleming, an AP Environmental Science course to be taught by Zach Moyer, and a drone lab that has secured foundation funding to purchase equipment and support certification testing.
Dr. Long described the General Education CTE program as a relatively new PDE pathway that aligns with workforce needs and includes task lists and verification requirements. He emphasized flexible teacher certification options for instructors and statewide articulation agreements: students who complete the program may earn college credits (Dr. Long said students could earn "anywhere from 3 to 9 credits" in some cases and that statewide articulation can extend to as many as 9–15 credits depending on the program and institution).
Dr. Long said the application to Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will be submitted once PDE opens the application window (he was told mid‑winter, around April) and the district aims to roll the courses out in 2026–27. He said the program is designed to help address teacher shortages and to provide hands‑on field experiences via internships and partnerships with local elementary and middle schools.
Board members asked whether the courses would be eligible for dual enrollment or articulation with local colleges; Dr. Long said individual courses alone would not automatically qualify for dual enrollment but students who complete the full CTE pathway and are verified as "completers" would be eligible for articulation credits. He also confirmed the district does not anticipate additional staffing costs because existing certified staff could cover the courses under the program's flexible certification rules.
Next steps: staff will finalize the PDE application when the window opens, develop a communication plan for students and families, and return to the board for formal approval of course additions and program adoption.
