Schools get part of $67.7 million as Ohio career tech expansions continue

This is the latest in a years-long wave of investment and expansion in Ohio and Dayton-area career tech education.

* This spring, the Miami Valley Career Technology Center is wrapping up a five-year, $158 million project (thanks to state funding and a voter-approved bond issue) to dramatically update and expand its Englewood facility, adding capacity and new programs.

* The Greene County Career Center built a 272,000 square-foot $70 million campus in Xenia in 2020 that houses all of the school’s now-expanded career-technical programs except aviation maintenance. Again, voter support of tax funding was key to the project.

* The Warren County Career Center is asking voters to approve tax funding in the current election, to build a new secondary campus for the career center, expanding capacity for more students.

* Back in November, Kettering City Schools, the Upper Valley Career Center and Butler Tech received state grants similar to the ones announced this week to help improve programs.

The investment has been a priority for state and industry leaders who are seeing a shortfall of manufacturing and skilled trades workers.

“Expanding career technical education is a major step in keeping our manufacturing industry here in this region as vital as it is today and even growing,” Angelia Erbaugh, president of the Dayton Region Manufacturers Association, told the Dayton Daily News last year.

Not all efforts have been successful. A 1.4-mill levy to fund a new building for the Springfield-Clark CTC failed to pass last November by 55% to 45% of the vote.

The new state grants, totaling more than $67.7 million, are expected to expand “career technical education access” to more than 10,000 Ohio students, Gov. Mike DeWine’s office said.

Specific uses for funding

The Greene County Career Center plans to use the grants to start a HVAC program for both adults and high school students, in partnership with Clark State. Another part of the money will be used to expand health sciences, and increase the number of students in the class from 50 students a year to 75 students a year.

“We are super excited, I’m very grateful to the governor and the lieutenant governor,” GCCC Superintendent Dave Deskins said. “The funds will help us hit two high-demand career paths in the Dayton region.”

The Greene County Career Center provides oversight to school districts in the county implementing career tech programs in their own schools.

“We’re really excited for (Fairborn and Beavercreek), people are pulling hard for and investing a lot of funds in kids in Greene County,” Deskins said.

Fairborn’s brand new high school will be equipped with several new tools for its engineering and biomedical tracks through Project Lead the Way, the district announced on Tuesday, and they will be adding a computer science track. Project Lead the Way is a national nonprofit that develops STEM curriculum.

The district’s acquisitions include a full computer lab and state-of-the-art software, Anatomage tables, which simulate both human anatomy and real-life medical scenarios, CPR mannequins for lifelike emergency response training, 3D printers, and a SCORBOT-ER robot arm for experimentation and programming, the district said Monday.

“This grant is a testament to our commitment to providing our students with the best possible resources and opportunities to excel in STEM fields. We are thrilled to integrate these cutting-edge tools into our curriculum and empower our students to become the innovators and problem solvers of tomorrow,” said Fairborn Curriculum Director Sue Brackenhoff.

Beavercreek City Schools will use the funds to establish two new career technical education pathways in IT: the Information Support and Services Pathway and the Cybersecurity Pathway. A portion of the money will also be used to buy equipment for the schools’ Education and Training pathway, and Business pathway.

“We are honored and excited to receive this grant, as it will enable us to further develop and expand our Career Technical Education programs, providing numerous opportunities for our students,” said Assistant Superintendent Bobbie Fiori.

Northridge Schools plan to use the funds as part of starting career tech courses in manufacturing, natural resources, welding, and other programs, said Andrea Townsend, the district’s director of human resources, pupil services and communications.

“We believe that preparing students to enter the workforce in manufacturing, maintenance and repair, building and groundskeeping, and food preparation will have a positive impact on the area’s economy,” she said. “Thanks to partnerships with local industry and the opportunities made possible by this grant, students will gain skills and experiences that ensure Northridge students are highly qualified to join the working sector in Dayton’s most critical need areas.”

Funding for the Career Technical Education Equipment Grant Program was included in the 2024-25 state budget, in addition to $200 million for the Career Technical Construction Program, approved in November 2023.

“Investing in our schools is an investment into our students’ futures,” DeWine said. “Allowing more schools to purchase equipment so they can train more students will set them and our state up for success.”