Director updates board on CareerTech legislation, flat budget posture and program approvals

The director briefed the board on legislative activity, appropriations negotiations and program approvals affecting CareerTech.

He said CareerTech had a “very good” day in the legislature: a bill to allow certain certifications passed the Senate and is moving toward the governor, and an adult education and family literacy bill also passed and will move forward. He said teams from SDE, CareerTech, higher education and the state chamber are working together on workforce-alignment issues and that amendments to proposed graduation requirements had been drafted and could be considered on the Senate floor.

On the budget, the director warned the board that CareerTech appears as a 0 line item at the moment, meaning negotiators are treating CareerTech funding as flat in current appropriations discussions. He said that treatment reflects ongoing negotiations with the House and Senate and is not a final outcome. The director also said staff have approved about 50 K–12 programs this year, down from a larger total last year, and that available funds for adding new programs could run out.

He briefly noted a personal family medical matter and said he expected to leave after the meeting for a scheduled procedure.

The board did not take formal action on the director’s update during the meeting.