District staff briefed the EPR committee on Oct. 2 about exploratory conversations with Wayne Pike Career & Technical Center (CTC) and neighboring districts that are building a new CTC. The discussion focused on how East Stroudsburg students might access seats, how that would affect current MCTI enrollments and logistical considerations such as busing.

Why it matters: Career and technical education seats determine student access to specialized programs such as allied health, aviation and protective services. Staff said decisions about partnerships and seat-sharing could change which programs are available to North and South campus students and affect transportation needs.

What staff said

The presenter said Waupaupack (Waupaupack School District) has received “tens of millions of dollars in funding” to start its Wayne Pike CTC build and that the district’s superintendent and boards are moving forward with planning. Staff described three main options under consideration: 1) a proportional-seat agreement like the district’s relationship with MCTI; 2) paying tuition for students to attend and taking available, leftover seats; or 3) remaining with MCTI only.

Staff noted that MCTI turned away nearly 600 students this year for lack of capacity and said partnership options could expand countywide capacity. The presenter estimated East Stroudsburg could send roughly 57 students to Wayne Pike under one scenario, which would in turn open seats at MCTI for other students.

Operational and fiscal considerations

- Tuition: Staff said one district’s current quoted tuition figure is $22,000 per student if seats are purchased rather than guaranteed under a partnership agreement.
- Transportation: Pairing MCTI and Wayne Pike offerings could require additional bus routes and more complex routing because students might travel to different CTCs in the morning and return at different times; staff emphasized routing and scheduling would be a major implementation issue.
- Seat allocation: Neighboring superintendents expressed concern about giving away seats they plan to use; staff said negotiations would need to address fair-share calculations and any financial contributions tied to seats.

Board members and staff agreed the district should continue informational visits; a subset of administrators and board members will tour Wayne Pike CTC and meet its superintendent to gather details. Staff emphasized this is an informational stage, not a negotiation or final commitment.

No final decision was made at the meeting.