Career Tech Programs Face $15,000 Budget Shortfall After Fee Elimination
Career and technical education teachers at Poudre School District are scrambling to maintain essential programs after the district eliminated student fees but failed to replace all the lost funding, creating budget shortfalls of up to $15,000 per program.
Eliza Dubinsky, a metals and machining teacher at Rocky Mountain High School, told the Board of Education September 23 that her program and others across the district are struggling to operate after the elimination of Code 29 budget allocations. Code 29 refers to a special revenue fund used by Colorado school districts to account for specific program funding sources separate from general operations, according to Colorado Department of Education financial guidelines.
"A few weeks into this school year, we were informed that the Code 29 budget allocations were being eliminated entirely, with no plan to cover that lost funding," Dubinsky said during public comment. "This has forced us to operate with $10,000 to $15,000 less than in previous years, which is already short of what student fees were bringing in."
The budget cuts affect programs that require substantial consumable materials and equipment maintenance across multiple high schools. Dubinsky's department alone offers more than 13 different classes including metals and woods levels one through four, architecture, geometry and construction, drafting, engineering, and Front Range Community College welding courses.
District Committed to Replace Fee Revenue
When Poudre School District eliminated student fees to make classes more equitable and accessible, administrators committed to continuing funding for the lost revenue. Those fees had been critical for purchasing consumable materials that Dubinsky described as "the lifeblood of our CTE programs."
The timing compounds the financial strain as materials costs have surged while demand for CTE courses has grown. Steel and lumber prices have increased significantly over the past two years, while programs have expanded course offerings and serve more students than in previous years.
"We're expected to do more for more students with significantly less," Dubinsky told the board, emphasizing the contradiction between expanding programs and reducing resources.
According to Colorado's career and technical education funding analysis, state reimbursement covers only about 20% of total CTE program costs, down from 58% when Colorado's vocational education programs began in the early 1970s. Districts increasingly rely on local funding and, until recently, student fees to bridge the gap between state support and actual program expenses.
Equipment Maintenance Burden Falls on Teachers
The funding shortage forces CTE teachers to take on responsibilities beyond classroom instruction, including maintaining and repairing complex industrial equipment that should be serviced by trained technicians. Colorado safety regulations typically require certified professional maintenance for welding machines, automotive lifts, and industrial kitchen appliances to ensure compliance with OSHA standards.
"CTE teachers are expected to teach just as many students as other content areas while also managing and maintaining a shop full of large, complex and often dangerous equipment," Dubinsky explained. "The district provides no budget or support for this, so teachers are left to troubleshoot, order parts and make repairs on their own time."
This arrangement creates potential liability issues for the district, as maintenance performed by non-certified personnel may void insurance coverage and compromise safety certifications required for program accreditation.
CTE teachers must demonstrate thousands of hours of industry experience to qualify for their positions, representing specialized expertise that districts struggle to recruit and retain. The additional maintenance responsibilities compound the challenge of keeping qualified instructors in these programs.
Programs Support Strategic Plan Goals
The budget cuts particularly impact programs that directly align with the district's strategic plan goal of ensuring students "graduate with options." Dubinsky's CTE program offers nine Front Range Community College welding credits and industry-recognized certifications in drafting, welding, and construction.
As highlighted in the recent advanced manufacturing lab opening, the district has celebrated partnerships with local businesses and foundations to expand career pathways. The Bohemian Foundation and Larimer County contributed $2 million toward the new advanced manufacturing lab at the Career Tech Center.
However, the funding challenges affect programs throughout the district, not just showcase facilities. Teachers like Dubinsky work in individual high schools where CTE programs compete for resources within larger school budgets rather than benefiting from dedicated technical center funding models used by some other Colorado districts.
Call for Funding Restoration
Dubinsky urged the board to restore the $15,000 in lost funding if student fees are not returning, warning that continued underfunding threatens both program quality and teacher retention.
"It's deeply demoralizing to be told that we need to start writing grants and fundraise just to keep our programs running," she said. "After 14 years in education, I find it disheartening to watch programs that directly align with the district's goals be left underfunded and unsustainable."
The funding crisis reflects broader challenges facing Colorado CTE programs, where total spending exceeds $123 million annually while state reimbursements cover only about $27 million. Districts must fund the majority of CTE costs through local budgets while managing specialized equipment, safety requirements, and consumable materials that far exceed costs in traditional academic programs.
"If you believe in your strategic plan, please fund it," Dubinsky concluded. "We're not asking for extras. We're asking for the basic support required to keep these programs alive."
The board took no immediate action on the funding request during the September 23 meeting. Budget discussions for the upcoming school year typically occur during winter board meetings as part of the annual budget development process.