The Okarche School Board voted Monday, Oct. 11 against joining the state’s CareerTech Technology Center.
The board voted 5-0 not to pass the resolution to join the vocational technology district.
Board members expressed concerns that it is not the right time to ask taxpayers for more money. Property taxes would have increased in the Okarche Public Schools district by joining CareerTech, said Superintendent Josh Sumrall.
CareerTech Technology Center locations are currently in El Reno, at the Canadian Valley Technology Center and near Omega west of Kingfisher at the Chisholm Trail Technology Center.
Surveys were sent home with students recently to gauge the interest in a vocational technology district, Sumrall said. Junior and senior high students took the surveys home to parents.
The district has 400 students this fall in grades pre-kindergarten to 12th grades.
Staff members recently showed a video presentation to junior and senior high students on CareerTech.
Board members, President Heather Nance, Jarrod Mueggenborg, Vice President Ryan McIlvain and Clerk Craig Baustert voted against joining the district. Okarche Public Schools have not been part of a vocational technology district in the past.
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