District CTE official: $2.4 million approved to restore North Division career programs; graduation and credential gains reported

An MPS career-and-technical-education official told the Emerging Youth Achievement Advisory Council on May 14 that the district is expanding career and technical education offerings and that the board approved $2,400,000 to restore programs at North Division High School.

At the presentation the official said the district has about 3,187 CTE concentrators — juniors and seniors who have completed at least two courses in a pathway — across roughly 16 high schools and 11 distinct pathways, from construction and manufacturing to health science and hospitality. "We've met all of our goals with the DPI," the official said, citing a 91.3% four‑year graduation rate among concentrators and about a 90% positive follow‑up rate a year after graduation.

The presenter described partnerships and curriculum sources used across schools: the carpenters' international training fund for construction; NAF for career academies; code.org for an introductory computer science offering; and ProStart and KP Compass for culinary/hospitality instruction. The official said many CTE students can earn industry‑recognized credentials and pursue dual enrollment, often with MATC.

For North Division specifically, the official said the district has contracted with MATC to teach several college‑credit courses and will offer a certified nursing assistant program, dental assistant classes and additional IT and welding courses in the coming school year. The presentation also listed potential later additions — automotive and an architectural design track being coordinated with UW–Milwaukee — subject to instructor and facility readiness.

Council members pressed the presenter on attendance and enrollment challenges. "Attendance is a big challenge," the official acknowledged, saying April attendance at North Division was under 50% and Washington High School was just over 50% for year‑to‑date reporting. Members also asked whether the programming runs in summer; the presenter said some CTE classes have been offered in summer but scaling up is limited by the availability of specialized instructors.

The official described industry partnerships that help place students in internships and apprenticeships, and highlighted long‑running partners such as Marcus Hotels and a Milwaukee area health education center that supports HOSA chapters and on‑site assistance. The district noted it intends to expand CTE into additional schools over time but cited costs and licensed instructor availability as constraints.

The council did not take formal action on the funding at this meeting; the presentation summarized existing board approval and program plans. The council scheduled ongoing follow‑up through subcommittees and asked staff to return with updates at future meetings.