Board approves $173,249 in high-school career-pathway investments after debate over EMT vs EMR
Summary
The board approved a $173,249 package of initial career-pathway investments for 2026–27 — including med careers, EMR/EMT, CNA and welding — after debating a motion to delay EMT enrollment that failed; members discussed funding from referendum dollars and one-time fund-balance options.
The Farmington Public School District board voted to approve an initial package of career-pathway investments for the 2026–27 school year totaling approximately $173,249 to stand up new CTE offerings at Farmington High School.
Superintendent Jason Berg outlined the package, describing a roughly $174,000 ask that included 0.32 FTE to backfill current teachers, intro-to-med careers, medical-terminology materials, CPR/first-aid costs, EMR and EMT offerings, intro-to-education courses, and a welding program that could be established at Dodge for roughly $40,000. Berg said approximately $80,000 of the package is one-time expenses and that Perkins funds would offset parts of the cost.
Board members debated pacing and fiscal prudence. Member Melissa Gorman and others urged caution about recurring costs and proposed phasing EMT after starting EMR to reduce near-term risk. Student representatives supported starting with EMR and gauging participation before committing to EMT. A motion to amend the package to remove EMT for 2026 failed on a voice vote.
The main motion to approve the entire pathways package passed (motion by Storley/Starley; second by Hannah Johnson). The chair announced the motion carried despite recorded opposition by at least one member.
The board also approved two new secondary courses for the 2026–27 catalog — a welding course and a human-diversity English elective that meets the state’s ethnic-studies requirement.
What happens next: Administration will track the investments and report back to the finance committee on costs, Perkins fund offsets, and student interest to inform future years' recurring-cost decisions.
