Revisiting career center facility planning with care, transparency, and students in mind
February 11, 2025 | By Jody EmersonOver the past several months, the Central Vermont Career Center Facilities Work Group has been meeting to revisit a question our community has wrestled with for years: What kind of facility does CVCC need to serve students well now and into the future?
This work was built on seven years (2018-25) of extensive facilities planning by the Central Vermont Career Center School District Board and the CVCC Regional Advisory Board, which culminated in a $149 million bond measure to finance a new facility. That bond measure was not supported by voters last fall. The Facilities Work Group was convened with a clear purpose: re-examine assumptions, update data, and identify next steps, supported by data, before any recommendations or decisions are made.
Student demand remains strong
One of the clearest findings from the updated needs assessment is that student interest in CVCC remains strong and consistent. Applications have increased steadily:
318 applications for FY22
344 for FY23
400 for FY24
424 for FY25 (397 individual applicants)
443 for FY26 (414 individual applicants)
303 for FY27 in just the first of three rounds.
These figures represent real students seeking access to hands-on learning, career preparation, and pathways that connect education to meaningful work. While policy discussions at the state level -- including current proposals related to Career and Technical Education -- introduce uncertainty, capacity constraints already exist.
Facilities matter for learning and access
CVCC operates in a 1969 building, and the facility's limitations extend beyond age or appearance. Career and Technical Education requires specialized spaces: labs, shops, appropriate ventilation, utilities, safety separation, secure storage, and student support services. These spaces are essential for delivering programs safely, effectively and equitably.
A key part of the work group’s effort has been shifting from broad estimates to a program-based analysis of space needs. Rather than relying on general assumptions, the updated needs assessment examined the actual requirements of CVCC programs and operations.
That analysis identified a baseline need of approximately 126,500 net square feet and approximately 167,000 gross square feet. This figure is not a design or a proposal. It is a planning baseline that clarifies what is required to operate a modern technical center with a capacity of 450 students.
A different approach moving forward
The Facilities Work Group is intentionally approaching the next phase differently from past efforts. Instead of moving directly toward a single solution, the group is entering an Alternatives, Costing, and Selection phase. This means examining multiple pathways, including:
renovation or expansion of existing facilities
new construction on potential sites
two-campus or satellite model
use of available space at sending schools
short-term or incremental solutions that could ease pressure while longer-term decisions are considered
Each option will be screened using consistent criteria focused on instructional capacity, equity and access, program infrastructure, operational viability, and flexibility under uncertainty. At this stage, no options have been ranked or selected.
Equity, access, and financial realities
Throughout the needs assessment, one theme has been constant: equity and access matter. Transportation, location, student schedules, accessibility, and safety all influence whether students can realistically participate in CVCC programs.
The work group is also mindful of financial considerations, including tax implications and the availability of external funding, such as a federal grant that would require a local match. These realities underscore the importance of careful, phased planning rather than rushed conclusions.
What comes next
The Facilities Work Group will continue by screening facility alternatives against the confirmed needs baseline, identifying major cost drivers and data gaps, and clarifying both short-term and long-term pathways. This work is designed to ensure that any future recommendation is grounded in updated data, clear criteria, and transparency.
CVCC plays a critical role in preparing students for careers, postsecondary education, and participation in our regional workforce. Facilities shape what programs can be offered, how many students can be served, and how safely and equitably education is delivered.
The goal of this work is not to rush toward a predetermined outcome, but to ensure that decisions are informed, responsible, and student-centered. This group will complete its work at the end of March and present findings to the CVCCSD Facilities Committee in April.
Jody Emerson is the superintendent of the Central Vermont Career Center School District and director of the Central Vermont Career Center. She submitted this piece on behalf of the district’s Facilities Work Group.