Nunley speaks to Area 30 local needs assessment

Part of a short meeting for its interlocal board, Executive Director Chad Nunley spoke to needs related to state funding for Area 30 Career Center on Tuesday.

Staff are working to wrap up Area 30’s bi-annual comprehensive local needs assessment (CLNA), the purpose of which is to support planning, spending and accountability with federal Perkins grants.

Perkins grants are according to annual federal funding over $1.4 million for CTE education under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.

The CLNA sets out a broad view of student and staff data, as well as input from the community and local industry. Area 30’s Perkins grant is to be based on the CLNA and guides related spending over the next two years.

Nunley said a required stakeholder meeting has been set for the end of January. Meanwhile, its course offerings, personnel, equipment and career development activities are being reviewed.

Nunley said the CLNA is to be submitted in March.

In other business:

• The board approved accepting a donation of a cobot from Vincennes University’s Center for Applied Robotics and Automation. A cobot, or collaborative robot, can be programmed to interact with a person close to it.

The cobot will arrive after the new year begins, and staff will be trained on it at the end of January. The cobot’s value, Nunley said, will be allowing students to learn programming and troubleshooting.

• Nunley informed the board that the annual memo for career and technical education was recently approved by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, which consults with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.

With changes made for 2024-25, Nunley noted that Area 30’s automotive programs were moved back up to a high-skill, high-wage level. Meanwhile, Human and Social Services and Principles of Agriculture were reduced to a moderate level.

Specifically, the automotive courses are designated as High Value Level 1 for first-year students and High Value Level 2 for second-year students. Human and Social Services and Principles of Agriculture are set at Moderate Value Level 1.

According to the memo, the reimbursement rates per credit hour for the automotive classes at Level 1 and Level 2 are $714 and $1,071, respectively, while Human and Social Services and Principles of Agriculture are reimbursed at $400.

While Asst. Director Sharon Bone was absent, the entire board joined Nunley and Treasurer Cindy Burnham for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Area 30 Board is set for Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 9 a.m. in the Old National Trail conference room.