Utica School District Residents To Vote On $18 Million CTE Proposal Next Week

Residents in the Utica City School District will head to the polls next Tuesday, December 7, to vote on a nearly $18 million dollar referendum to establish on-site Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

District officials say the programs currently offered at Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES would be taught at Proctor High School, increasing the opportunities for students to participate in CTE programs.

The following CTE programs would be offered at Proctor:

• Automotive Technology
• Automotive Body Repair
• Construction and Trades which include:
• Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing and Masonry
• Culinary Arts
• Cosmetology
• Drone Technology
• Cybersecurity
• Early Childhood Education
• Criminal Justice
• Certified Nursing Assistant

Courses in the trades and other occupations were offered at Proctor High School and Utica Free Academy and were moved to BOCES following the consolidation to one high school in the late 1980’s.

The total cost of the project would be an estimated $17,995 million, with $10,995 million in state building aid available.

The $7 million local share would be budgeted with no tax increase.

That portion of the project cost would be funded by a combination of sources, including American Rescue Plan stimulus funds, a potential increase in building aid and long-term debt retirement.

There are also potential long-term savings by bringing CTE back to Proctor, including BOCES and transportation costs.

The district’s goal is to have Proctor’s new CTE wing completed and Career and Technical Education programming in place by September 2024.

One more public meeting on the proposal will take place on Thursday, December 2 at 6:00 at Proctor High School.

Polls will be open on Tuesday from Noon to 9:00PM.