D91 may add new CTE programs

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - New opportunities may be opening up for students in the Idaho Falls School District.

The district may be adding two new career technical education programs, Idaho Agriculture, Food and Natural resources and Hospitality Management.

"It's not just in farming but it's food production as well. We have a lot of opportunities for kids to grow into an entry and mid-level job in food production around the state of Idaho, outside of farming, and they still need that background of planet science or animal science, so we want our kids to have that advantage," said the districts CTE coordinator Roberta Finlayson.

The programs will be discussed at a school board meeting on Wednesday night, where board members will decide if they will include the courses in the catalog.

From there, the life of the programs depends on the number of students that are interested in them.

"These programs give students a head start, they can have a job right out of high school, they're certified, our business students are certified right out of high school, so when they go and work they get a little better than an entry-level job, a lot of the kids can start at salaries between 12 and $20 an hour depending on the field period," Finlayson said.

The district currently has CTE programs in EMT, CNA, culinary arts, business computer science, auto, and construction.