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Board Discusses Local CDL Program and Other Career-Technical Investments
Summary
Superintendent and staff proposed creating a local CDL truck-driving program using existing simulators and purchasing a truck and trailer; administration said an in-district program could recover costs within five years and would expand CTE offerings.
District leaders described a plan to expand CTE opportunities by building a local CDL (commercial driver’s license) program that would pair existing semi-truck simulators with a district-owned truck and trailer.
Superintendent Gallagher said the district already invested in two simulators and estimated external providers charge about $5,500–$5,800 per student. Gallagher argued that buying a truck and trailer and offering the program in-house would reduce costs for students and could pay for itself in about five years. The plan would require purchasing a truck this year and a trailer next year and would rely on district maintenance capacity and an in-house mechanic for upkeep.
The board pressed for details about vehicle lifespan and program logistics; Gallagher said trucks can often last hundreds of thousands of miles and that local maintenance capacity should cover routine service. The proposal was presented as a strategic investment to expand student pathways into high-paying jobs.
The board did not vote to purchase equipment at the meeting but included the proposal in budget discussions and surplus/asset planning items.
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