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Siloam Springs highlights CTE growth: 1,600 students, 16 pathways and a $32,000 grant
Summary
District officials told the board CTE enrollment exceeds 1,600 across 50 courses and 16 career pathways; the district received a $32,000 grant for certifications and equipment, and students earned 828 certifications and multiple competition awards this year.
Jenny Marquin, who leads Career and Technical Education for the district, presented a comprehensive CTE update during the board meeting, saying the department now includes 32 educators and more than 1,600 students enrolled in over 50 CTE courses from seventh through 12th grade. She said the district offers 16 career pathways — 10 classified by the state as high-wage, high-demand — and highlighted pathway areas from agriculture to digital technology and advanced manufacturing.
Marquin outlined student outcomes for 2024–25 and preliminary 2026 figures: for 2024–25 CTE students earned a combined 828 industry-related certifications across areas including healthcare and technology; the class of 2025 completed a combined 30,310 pathway credits and 204 of 343 seniors completed at least one CTE pathway. Preliminary data for the class of 2026 show 227 combined pathway completions, with 119 in high-wage/high-demand pathways.
She noted community and philanthropic support, including a $32,000 grant from Sharing and Caring of Northwest Arkansas earmarked for CTE certifications and equipment, and celebrated recent student competition wins at the Ozark Media Arts Festival. Marquin also described hands-on experiences such as the Be Pro, Be Proud mobile workshop and a recent CTE fair that engaged younger students.
Board members praised the report and recognized the role of industry partners and district investment in expanding pathways. No changes to course offerings were proposed; the presentation served to inform the board ahead of planned recruiting and pathway expansion.
