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Parent and volunteer urges clearer CTE curriculum after donated equipment, board says program is being organized
Summary
A parent-volunteer said donated go-kart kits and other shop equipment were being used without a clear curriculum and urged the district to research program structure before further purchases; the superintendent and staff described ongoing efforts to focus and organize CTE offerings.
During audience time, parent-volunteer Oscar Juarez told the board he had been volunteering in the high-school shop for 20 months and expressed concern that equipment purchases and donated machines lacked curriculum and structure. "I feel like it's a gamble with my kids' only currency, which is time," Juarez said, urging the district to research and adopt a coherent CTE curriculum before scaling equipment or production projects.
The superintendent and CTE staff acknowledged the concerns, described recent purchases and grant-funded equipment, and said the plan is to tighten program focus and offer six-week rotations at middle school and expanded CTE pathways at the high school, including welding, manufacturing, automotive and CAD. The superintendent said they had purchased welding curriculum and CAD resources and were working to align offerings with student pathways and community partnerships.
"We do have some impressive things... it's a work in production for sure," the superintendent said, describing efforts to steer the middle-school program toward tangible, short-rotation projects so more students can benefit. Trustees encouraged continued community input and said staff should return with a clearer plan for curriculum, usage and surplus policy before making further major equipment decisions.
Next steps: staff will develop clearer CTE curriculum guidance, inventory surplus equipment and present a plan for aligning equipment purchases to curriculum targets.
