Superintendent warns spending‑cap proposals could force cuts to CTE programs

Nicole McTavish, superintendent and director of the Patricia A. Hannaford Regional Technical School District, told the Senate Finance Committee that proposed spending caps could force elimination of CTE programs.

McTavish said her district voters approved an $8,000,000 bond in March 2022 to renovate the main campus and meet safety and program standards. She provided budget figures to the committee: the district’s FY26 budget is $5,700,000; salaries and benefits total about $2,700,000; and debt service is roughly $825,000 (about 15% of the budget). "If bond debt isn't excluded from spending caps, this non‑negotiable bond debt might result in elimination of CTE programs in order for us to meet the needed reduction in spending," she said.

She explained CTE districts lack staffing redundancy—often a single teacher covers an entire technical program—so personnel cuts usually mean program elimination rather than reduced sections. McTavish also said many district positions are state‑required (director, adult education coordinator, career counselor, special education coordinator, work‑based learning coordinators), limiting options to trim costs. Because CTE revenue is tied to program offerings (tuition and per‑pupil payments), cutting programs can reduce income and deepen budget shortfalls.

Committee members asked how bond payments and tuition appeals work; members discussed options such as appeals to the Secretary of Education and potential legislative amendments to exclude incremental bond‑related increases from caps. McTavish said her district’s budget increases by about 8% year‑over‑year driven by labor and health costs, and that caps below that level would necessitate cuts. The committee agreed to consult education staff about how CTE revenues and bond payments are counted under cap proposals and to consider exemptions or technical fixes so approved bond debt does not automatically trigger program losses.