IN THE NEWS

• Rhode Island voters may decide on a $50 million bond to fund career and technical education (CTE) programs.
• CTE enrollment has nearly quadrupled in eight years, with about half of the state's high school students participating.
• State funding for these programs has remained mostly flat for nearly a decade despite significant growth.
• The proposed bond would provide grants to schools for capital investments to create and improve CTE programs.

Voters may soon decide whether to make a major investment in career and technical education (CTE) programs. Gov. Dan McKee has proposed a $50 million bond referendum to help schools across Rhode Island create new programs and improve existing ones through capital investments. The funding would be distributed through a grants process similar to the school construction program.

CTE programs connect classroom learning to careers. Located in high schools, the programs help students earn industry-recognized credentials while preparing for high-wage, high-skill and high-demand occupations. Programs span fields including finance, information technology, manufacturing, engineering, arts and media, hospitality, education, law, health care and construction. That breadth allows students to explore a range of career options.

Research suggests this kind of engagement helps keep students more connected to their learning, with CTE concentrators showing improved attendance and graduation rates. These programs also benefit employers and businesses by creating opportunities to engage locally and spark student interest in their industries.

The benefits of career and technical education help explain why both programs and enrollment have grown rapidly. The number of Rhode Island public school students enrolled in CTE programs has nearly quadrupled in eight years, from 5,485 in the 2016-17 school year to 20,748 students in 2024-25. That’s about one in every two high school students in the state. Over the same period, the number of state-approved CTE programs has more than doubled, increasing from 133 in 2016-17 to 293 in 2024-25. This year alone, the state approved 25 new programs, bringing the total to 318.

All of this remarkable growth in CTE learning has occurred even as state funding for CTE has remained essentially flat. Aside from a one-time $2 million allocation in the 2024-25 school year, categorical funding for CTE has not budged in nearly a decade, remaining at $4.5 million since fiscal year 2017. At that level, categorical aid for CTE now amounts to less than $600 per CTE pupil.

This lack of additional state funding has created obstacles to further growth, as school districts are challenged to find sufficient funding for investments in capital improvements and program expansion. The governor’s proposed CTE bond will help to fill this gap, making available grant funding to schools based on need.

As both representatives of Rhode Island’s business community and parents, we see that our state’s CTE programs have created opportunity for students and value for employers. Now is not the time to slow that progress. Let’s continue to build on it by providing adequate resources and supporting the governor’s $50 million bond.

Erin Donovan-Boyle is the president and CEO of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce and Monika Zuluaga is the president and CEO of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce. Both are board members of Rhode Island Businesses for Better Education.