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MCTI reports enrollment surge, wait list and new first-responder program in budget briefing
Summary
MCTI presenters told the East Stroudsburg board that career-and-technical enrollment tops 1,200 with a wait list exceeding 600; the MCTI proposed budget includes a 3.92% increase (~$416,000) driven by a new first-responder program, healthcare and utility costs, and staffing for the Laurel Lake culinary program.
Dennis Berger and Joel Birch presented the Mountainland Career & Technical Institute budget to the East Stroudsburg Area School District board on Feb. 23, describing strong enrollment growth and program additions that drive a modest budget increase.
Berger said MCTI now serves more than 1,200 students overall and that the wait list exceeds 600 students, with East Stroudsburg's share climbing due to higher district enrollment. He stated the institution is the 12th-largest CTE school in the state and that East Stroudsburg sends roughly 16''to 25% of its eligible tenth-through-twelfth graders to MCTI depending on the metric. Berger described a proposed 3.92% budget increase, about $416,000, and said East Stroudsburg's portion of the MCTI increase would be roughly $106,000.
The presentation highlighted a planned first-responder program that will offer introductory firefighting and criminal-justice coursework and, in senior year, aims to award EMT certification through partnerships with local hospitals for clinical hours. Berger also noted operational cost pressures: a 10% healthcare cost increase, higher electric and oil costs (9% and 20% noted) and the addition of a part-time Laurel Lake assistant chef to expand capacity in a culinary program that currently serves 100 students with two instructors.
Berger said MCTI is in a strong capital position, with $2.3 million in capital funds and a potential additional grant award in process that would add roughly $1 million. He described a feasibility analysis of connecting the campus sewage treatment system to public sewer (internal work estimated at about $500,000) and said grant applications, including a school-facility improvement grant, could cover all or part of that cost.
Board members commended the enrollment growth and grant work; one member asked how the district can address the MCTI wait list, and Berger and trustees discussed options including satellite programming or partnerships with community colleges.
No formal board action was required for the MCTI presentation during the meeting; the budget materials were authorized for distribution to member districts for consideration.
