Vermont education officials and consultants outlined a plan Feb. 25 to create a single governance entity for career and technical education (CTE) statewide and to shift funding so that the new CTE BOCES would receive about $25,000 per full-time-equivalent (FTE) CTE student.

The proposal, presented at a joint hearing of the House Education, Senate Education and House Commerce committees, would leave the state’s 17 CTE centers in place but centralize budgeting, contracting and administrative services in a single CTE BOCES while the Agency of Education (AOE) retains oversight and compliance duties. "Career and technical education is a priority for the administration," said Secretary Sanders, Vermont secretary of education.

Why it matters: Supporters said the change is intended to reduce uneven program access and quality across the state, improve alignment with statewide workforce goals, and provide a stable, predictable funding base for CTE programming and expanded middle-school exploration. Consultants presented data showing wide variation in per-FTE spending among centers and argued a uniform funding target and centralized administrative services would promote equity and scale.

Key elements of the proposal

- Governance: Creation of a statewide CTE BOCES that would receive state funding, distribute budgets to the 17 existing centers, hire an executive director and set common administrative policies. An advisory board representing the proposed regional districts, school boards and workforce partners would evaluate and hire the executive director. The presenters described the model as a "single governance entity" responsible for statewide planning while local centers would continue day-to-day program operations and sending districts would remain students of record and retain responsibility for diplomas, counseling, special education and extracurricular access.

- Funding: The BOCES would receive a per-FTE target of about $25,000. That figure is intended to combine an $8,000 on‑behalf portion of the state base funding and an additional $17,000 weight in the foundation formula to reach $25,000 per FTE. The speakers said approximately $5,000 of the current per‑pupil funding would remain with the sending district to cover guidance, counseling and the costs that do not decline when students attend CTE centers. Consultants said the $25,000 target is near the median per‑FTE spending observed in FY2023 and reflects analysis of centers that produce stronger outcomes.

- Program support and Perkins: The CTE BOCES would produce a single statewide Perkins plan (replacing multiple local Perkins plans) and coordinate professional development, curriculum resources and shared contracts with postsecondary partners. Presenters said centralized HR, finance and contracting could free center resources to focus on instruction and student supports.

Discussion, concerns and transition planning

Lawmakers asked why the functions would not be housed entirely within AOE. Consultants and AOE staff said the BOCES model would link funding to the central office and create a degree of stability and scale that AOE staffing and appropriations alone might not guarantee over time. "The agency of education really has to play that compliance role," said Ruth Durkee, state director of career technical education at the Agency of Education, arguing a separate central office for operations could relieve AOE of day‑to‑day administrative burdens while preserving oversight.

Several legislators raised concerns about adding an extra layer of bureaucracy, how local autonomy would be preserved, and how centers that currently spend substantially more than $25,000 per FTE would be supported during a transition. Presenters acknowledged those concerns and described the proposal as part of a multi‑year transformation that would include a planned transition period (presenters mentioned a multi‑year ramp, with two years discussed for funding transition) and follow‑up analyses on facility needs, debt management and collective bargaining impacts.

Adult education, middle‑school exposure and equity

The presenters said adult CTE is currently required by state statute but lacks reliable funding across centers; some centers cannot sustain adult programs or even an adult CTE coordinator. The plan calls for intentionally designing adult CTE roles and funding in partnership with the Department of Labor to create more consistent access statewide. The proposal also embeds funding to expand earlier, middle‑school career exploration and to add per‑pupil and staffing resources that would increase curriculum support and teacher induction.

Data and methodology cited

Consultants said the $25,000 figure is drawn from an analysis of the 17 centers’ per‑FTE expenditures (they reported using the median and examining FY2023 expenditures, and they said they reviewed program quality metrics and Perkins indicators when selecting the target). They noted they did not use a weighted average by student counts and recommended additional modeling if the governance districts or structural assumptions change.

No formal votes or final decisions were taken at the hearing. Lawmakers asked for follow‑ups including (1) a clearer mapping of which functions belong at AOE, the BOCES and local centers; (2) transition details for centers currently above the proposed target; (3) modeling of alternative district footprints; and (4) an analysis of facilities, debt and how multiple local collective bargaining agreements might be folded into a single governance entity.

Ending

AOE staff and the consulting team said they will provide more detailed modeling and follow‑up materials to the committees. Lawmakers signaled interest and skepticism: several praised the analysis as overdue but asked for concrete transition plans before endorsing structural change.

Quotes used in story

"Career and technical education is a priority for the administration," said Secretary Sanders, Vermont secretary of education.

"The BOCES would also really be overseeing these additional opportunities that are built into the base cost," said Justin Silverstein, a consultant with the consulting team (APA).

"The agency of education really has to play that compliance role," said Ruth Durkee, state director of career technical education at the Agency of Education.