Grants feed Clovis Unified career tech training

Published online on Monday, Oct. 05, 2009

Forward thinking by Clovis Unified leaders nearly three years ago has netted the district millions of state dollars that it's using to build new career technology programs on all of its high school campuses.

Clovis was ready when voters passed Proposition 1D in November 2006. The $10.4 billion pot for education was part of a slate of bonds that jump-started public construction in the state.

The catch: Districts had to match the state dollar-for-dollar.

"A lot of districts just didn't take advantage of it," said Steve Ward, Clovis Unified's assistant superintendent for finance.

Clovis tapped its facilities fund, developer fees and savings on other construction projects. Already, Clovis has reeled in more than $12.8 million in Career Technical Education grants, which puts it among the top five statewide. All nine Clovis grant applications have been approved.

That's nearly double the next-best take in the San Joaquin Valley, $6.65 million to Kern Union High School District.

Hanford Joint Union High School District took advantage with two big projects totaling $4.45 million.

Fresno Unified, on the other hand, has snagged only $48,207 in Career Tech money. When applications were due, the district was considering facilities planning and which types of Career Tech programs to initiate, said Tracewell Hanrahan, executive officer of school leadership.

"We didn't feel the timing was right," she said.

About $410 million was released statewide in the first two phases of the program. Another $84.4 million remains to be doled out in the third funding cycle next year, said Rebecca Kirk, a spokeswoman for the Office of Public School Construction in Sacramento.

While some Career Tech programs are designed for college-bound students, others will provide high-tech training for students who are aiming for careers that don't require a college degree.

In Clovis, each high school's program will have a specific focus. Clovis North, for example, has a medical careers academy. Thus far, that school's program is the only one with its own dedicated space.

But later this month, district officials said, an automotive technology building will be finished at Clovis West and an agricultural mechanics facility will open at Clovis East.

Clovis High's building and trades project is expected to open in January, and a building to house an alternative-energy program will open at Buchanan High in August. Construction bidding will begin early next year for a performing arts technology project at Buchanan.

The grants also are paying for expanded programs at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology in biomedicine, biomedical engineering and game design and video technology. CART is a program attended by Clovis Unified and Fresno Unified students.

The two districts split the matching costs for the program expansions, said John Forbes, CART's principal. Each district's share is about $549,810.

Clovis Unified chose its programs after reviewing job market projections and talking with local business leaders about their needs.

Programs were matched to existing strengths. For example, ag mechanics went to the district farm at Clovis East.

Clovis North got the health services program because State Center Community College District will start a nursing program next year at its Willow and International avenues campus across the street.

Clovis North students will focus on subjects such as nursing, pharmacology and veterinary medicine and will work on state-of-the-art medical equipment. The class of 10 juniors, part of the school's first graduating class in 2011, meets four days a week, including laboratory sessions. Teacher Sarah Mikolavich is also a registered nurse.