Alamance-Burlington School System leaders say they don't see a career and technical education center as a long-term solution to space needs at high schools.

But the idea appears to be growing in popularity for other reasons, such as providing some space at existing schools and improving the education of students taking those types of courses.

Ronnie Wall, an assistant superintendent, said the school system sees partnership opportunities with local businesses, Alamance Regional Medical Center, Alamance Community College and Elon University and other institutions and organizations. The center could also make use of online instruction through the N.C. Virtual Public School and other resources.

Superintendent Randy Bridges said the school system already has a relationship with business and institutions, and the center could help build on those by preparing students for careers.

Wall discussed the potential for a center Tuesday during a meeting between the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education and the Alamance County Board of Commissioners.

While details of how the plan would work haven't been determined at this early stage, school system administrators say it could involve having students interested in career and technical education spend as much as half of the school day at the center and the rest of the day at their home schools.

That would allow the center's use by a much larger number of students than if those attending the center spent all day there. By keeping other types of instruction at the existing high schools, it would also eliminate the need for athletic facilities and other amenities that are typically part of a high school.

Wall described the center as a "slimmed-down model of a high school." Preliminary discussion of the facility has left open the possibilities of building a center or renovating an existing facility, if one that could serve that purpose were identified.

While the plan wouldn't remove students from other high schools for an entire day, it would still create space at existing high schools. High school classrooms currently used for vocational and technical education would be opened up for other uses.

Wall said 57 classrooms throughout the system's six high schools are currently being used for career and technical education. More than 4,500 students are enrolled in one or more classes in those areas.

George Griffin, the system's director of school programs, said career and technical classes prepare students for careers in areas such as health care, business and finance, computer-related technology, food services, construction and automotive work.

BRIDGES SAID he thinks the center is a good idea for educational reasons, regardless of whether the school system pursues construction of a new high school as a result of current crowding and projected enrollment growth.

Other benefits mentioned during a discussion among school board members and county commissioners included giving students at all high schools equal access to career-related training.

School board member Kristen Moffitt said having a central location could have financial benefits, since each high school wouldn't need equipment and related resources.

"In the long run you're going to save money, because the teaching's all going to be in the same place," she said.

Bridges said he doesn't see the center as a long-term solution to crowding at high schools. The school system has relied on student enrollment projections by an organization affiliated with N.C. State University that uses information obtained from discussions with government planners, building contractors and data such as birth rates.

Commissioners Tim Sutton and Eddie Boswell have suggested growth in the county may slow considerably depending on economic factors.

Members of both boards appear to agree timing is poor to pursue a new high school given the weak economy. But during Tuesday's meeting, Sutton warned against waiting too long to meet construction needs in addition to being careful to be sure the needs exist.

Mentioning Guilford County as an example, Sutton said not keeping up with building needs as they arise can lead to large amounts of debt when construction is eventually started, as well as excessive use of mobile units for classrooms.

Besides a high school and career and technical education center, the school system has discussed starting ninth-grade centers, which would put freshmen in different facilities from students in grades 10 through 12.

Another idea is adding classrooms at the system's two smallest high schools, Cummings and Graham, and reassigning students who live in other attendance zones to those two schools.

Source: thetimesnews.com