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Preston County board defers transfer decision, separates diesel CTE layoff after heated hearing over Cisco program
Summary
After an employee transfer hearing over declining enrollment in Preston High’s Cisco CTE program, the board approved the professional personnel agenda but separated the diesel technology reduction‑in‑force for more review and approved a RIF item involving a board member’s relative. Administrators cited sharply lower CTE enrollment and staff‑funding constraints.
The Preston County Board of Education heard contested testimony March 23 over staffing changes tied to falling enrollment in the high school’s Cisco career and technical education program, then approved a larger professional personnel package while deferring some decisions for further study.
During an employee transfer hearing held in open session, district administrators told the board that enrollment in Preston High had fallen in recent years and that the Cisco program no longer supports the staffing allocation previously assigned to it. An administration representative said the district must “align our staffing levels with actual student enrollment and programs demand” and described the transfer proposal as a response to those enrollment trends rather than a judgment of the teacher’s performance.
The employee affected, identified in the hearing as Mr. John, told the board he holds a CCNA certification and argued the Cisco curriculum provides hands‑on career pathways and local workforce readiness. “It provides localities dependent on skilled trades,” he said, urging the board to consider program reconfiguration or alternate uses of his technical expertise rather than eliminating multi‑level Cisco instruction.
CTE staff member Mr. Justice reviewed year‑to‑year course completer counts and said many Cisco sections have had only a handful of completers in recent years, making it difficult to sustain distinct 1–2 and 3–4 level course blocks at the high school. Administration presented district high‑school enrollment figures and said reduced student counts force difficult tradeoffs: fewer students mean less funding under the state aid formula and the district must reduce positions to stay within budget.
Board members pressed administration on alternatives. Several asked whether the ninth‑grade career connections course could be used to expose freshmen to basic Cisco concepts so students could later choose the multi‑year pathway. Administrators said career connections had been made a mandatory county offering and that adding new CTE programs or reintroducing pathways would require needs assessments and state approval.
After the hearing the board finished public proceedings and took action during the professional agenda. The board approved the professional personnel agenda with two separations: (1) a reduction‑in‑force item involving a staff member related to a board member (handled separately) and (2) the diesel technology RIF. On the diesel item, Board member Megan Noss moved to separate the diesel technology reduction for further review so administrators could ensure students currently in diesel course sequences would be able to complete their program; the motion to separate passed by voice vote. The board later voted to approve the separated RIF involving the board member’s family member as recommended by administration.
Administration and board members agreed there is room for program development — including possible cyber or introductory technology offerings — but said any new pathway must be grounded in a community needs assessment, state approval and appropriate teacher certification. The district also noted some equipment tied to closed programs may be subject to federal Perkins rules governing redistribution to other CTE programs.
The employee transfer for Mr. John was described as likely to place him in a math position for which he holds certification; any formal transfer action will be recorded in the professional agenda minutes. Board members asked administrators to return with concrete proposals for preserving elements of CTE exposure for underclassmen and to ensure students currently in multi‑part CTE sequences are not left without a pathway to finish their certification.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the professional personnel agenda (with the two separations) and carried the motion to separate the diesel RIF for additional review. A separate vote later approved the RIF action involving the board‑member’s relative.
