Area 30 director addresses state funding concerns

Area 30 Career Center Director Lora Busch once again came before the Area 30 Career Center Board of Directors during its monthly meeting to discuss possible funding changes to APC funding by the state.

Busch had previously given the board an update a few months ago about the proposed funding changes. However, with the proposal changing daily, Area 30 could stand to lose thousands if it were to pass.

"It's a little difficult for us to give you exact numbers on how these proposed numbers will impact our funding," Busch explained. "Right now, we have not received from the governor's office exact definitions on some of their outcomes. There's a lot of unknowns right now in this funding proposal."

Career and technical education centers from all across the state are in jeopardy of losing thousands if this new legislation were to pass.

"(Assistant Director) Chad (Nunley) ran our numbers based on enrollment and internships," Busch said. "Based on the numbers of enrollment and internships, our schools as a whole could receive around $450,000. Last year, we received $893,000."

Although, the state is proposing leaving the funding formula alone in 2015-16 in hopes of school corporations being able to make adjustments, Busch noted that there are still major problems with it.

"We're funded on credit hours. So, a career center offering a three-credit-hour class, can get up to $1,500 per student," Busch explained. "They're strictly funding this as a flat rate. So, whether you're teaching a one-hour class at a high school or you're busing kids to the career center for six credit hours for the entire year, you get the same amount of money. This just can't fly."

Essentially, maximum funding will be based on whether or not a student maintains the same career path they started at the beginning of high school. Busch stated that career and technical education provides students with career exploration opportunities as well as education in specific career areas . Funding based on students not changing their mind or exploring during high school is not logical .

"They're asking us to prepare a school budget on the head of a 14-year-old student," Busch said. "It's very scary and it's not good for students. We are career and tech education. What they are wanting us to become is career and tech training for work."

Busch noted that career and technical education centers across the state are still working hard contacting as many state representatives as they can to make them realize that such funding is not standard operating procedure across the country and it greatly affects schools.

"We are very concerned about this," Busch added. "Our hope is that this won't make it out of the House."

Busch also came before the board to give a brief update on the school's Secondary Core Indicators report, which is an annual report that Area 30 is required to compile in order to receive Perkins funding, which is used to support the purchase of new equipment, salaried and professional development activities.

"It's basically our grade card report for federal funding.

Busch added that Area 30 on average receives about $71,000 in Perkins funding each year, funding that is based on effectiveness and progress in career and technical education.

It was noted overall, that the Area 30 student body exceeded both proposed Area 30 expectations, and the state in language arts and math.

"We do a remediation of some students who come to the career center, about 81 percent of those students passed language arts," Busch said. "We exceeded not only what was required of ourselves, but what required by the state as well. We're real proud of that."

It was also noted that 95 percent of students passed in the technical skill attainment category, which essentially is the amount of students who passed state and industry certifications and assessments as well as dual credit assessments.

"Area 30 Career Center had almost a 100 percent completion rate from non-traditional students," Busch added. "All of our female law enforcement students completed, all of our male CNA and health sciences students completed. We had a 95 percent completion (graduation) rate of our students. Ninety-three percent of our students are either working, in military or in post secondary education as well."

"We are proud of our scores, we have come up in some of them," Busch said.

In other business:

* The board approved an overnight trip for Skills USA students to Vincennes for the regional competition on Feb. 13-14. Approximately 23 students and four instructors will be attending. The board also approved Skills USA students to travel to Indianapolis for state competition on April 10-11. Approximately 50 students and seven instructors will be attending.

* The board approved the assistant director and director addendums.

* The board also approved, retroactive to July 1, 2014, a three percent salary increase for Busch and .5 percent, who already received a 2.5 percent increase, for Assistant Director Chad Nunley.