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Board approves updated career-technical services contract with Columbus City Schools
Summary
Westerville approved a revised career-center contract (Columbus Compact) that updates seat-release timelines, formalizes quarterly meetings and reflects the state's lottery-based career-technical admissions; staff noted long wait lists for some programs.
The Westerville City School Board approved a new career-center services contract with Columbus City Schools intended to modernize a 2012 agreement and respond to state funding and admissions changes.
Presenting the item, Mr. Meisner said the updated Columbus Compact reflects federal and state changes to career-technical education, including a shift to a lottery system for program admissions (students must be on track for graduation or have a plan to be on track). The contract adds quarterly meetings between districts and Columbus City Schools, earlier notification of program closures, revised invoicing and financial reporting, and language to reduce year-end 'true-ups.'
District staff also described proposed seat-selection procedures intended to improve equity among partner districts: Westerville, Upper Arlington and Grandview would each have defined guaranteed seats when Columbus opens unfilled seats, with one additional 'wild card' seat. District staff noted the demand for career-technical programs: the pre‑nursing program wait list across partner districts was described as approximately 1,000 students.
Board members asked clarifying questions about how open seats are released and whether selection is first-come; staff explained the process will draw down a wait list and that the only acceptance criteria under the new model is being on track for graduation.
The board approved the agreement by voice/roll-call vote.
Why it matters: The contract governs how Westerville students access career-technical programs operated by the city of Columbus and aims to provide clearer timelines, better financial transparency and more predictable seat availability as demand for career tech grows.
Next steps: Administration will begin implementing updated recruitment and seat-selection procedures under the new contract and participate in the scheduled quarterly coordination meetings with Columbus City Schools.
