Members of the Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Career and Technical Education discussed a new funding distribution proposal during the Superintendents Webcast on Nov. 9.
Policy Advisor Regan Satterwhite and Division Director Tom Thompson detailed the new proposal, which includes $70 million for all Perkins-eligible career and technical education (CTE) pathways. Of the funding, 60% will be based on the schools’ allocation calculated on a weighted full-time equivalent student attendance basis, while 40% will be calculated based on incentives such as concentrators, technical skill attainment, work-based learning and CTE dual credit opportunities.
“We want this funding to be spent on the student, so that their experience and their CTE pathway can be as high quality as possible,” said Satterwhite. “We also want to incentivize schools that are doing the right things, that have high-quality programs and are getting students career ready and working with our workforce and our business and industry partners in order to do so.”
The funding is intended to improve student outcomes in CTE pathways and will be monitored by KDE.
The proposal comes after lawmakers added $58 million to the 2022 biennium state budget for local area vocational education center (LAVEC) funding for secondary schools. This allowed for the expansion of LAVEC funds to include all 266 locally operated CTE programs in the state.
“The initial allocations of these funds were to help bring programs up to industry standards in terms of materials and equipment, and we previously asked districts to direct the funds toward existing programs,” said Thompson. “But moving forward, there will be more flexibility so schools will be able to use the CTE funding for new programs. Districts will also be able to seek approval to use CTE funds for middle grades programming as well.”
Satterwhite said she expects to see a bill to consider the new funding distribution proposal from each chamber of the Kentucky legislature in the next legislative session, which begins on Jan. 2. The new distribution proposal does not ask for additional funds above those allocated in the 2022 General Assembly session.
In other business:
- KDE shared an update on the School-Based Mental Health Professional Use of Time Survey that was due Nov. 1; and
- KDE shared an update on the Kentucky United We Learn Council meeting Nov. 2-3.
The next Superintendents Webcast is scheduled for Dec. 12.
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