Mar. 6, 2022 8:30p
(WGTD)---A difference of opinion over academic needs within the Kenosha Unified school district led to the development of a new charter school that’s outside of the purview of KUSD.
KTEC has been a popular K-through-8 charter for the past 15 years. KTEC now wants to serve high school students. But the new school has received its authorization from an arm of the UW system—not Kenosha Unified.
Paul Fegley is President of the KTEC high school governance body. He concedes it would’ve been easier for the new school to stay within the auspices of Kenosha Unified. But the school district rejected the overture about a year-and-a-half ago, saying the type of STEM-centered, career-oriented technical training that KTEC High School wants to create already exists in the district. Fegley disagrees. "KTEC High School is a unique opportunity for students to basically go through a workforce development program and obtain certifications where they can at the end of their 4-year high school career walk into a workforce with certifications and of course credits if they want to go into post-high school educational opportunities," he said.
The new school's 'houses' are the building trades, information systems, transportation and automation and robotics.
KTEC High School is now accepting applications for up to 150 students for the school's first 9th grade cohort.
The school plans to open in leased space in the empty parish school building adjacent to St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Kenosha Unified recently put out a news release clarifying that the new school is not connected to the district, and therefore its students won’t be eligible to participate in district programming, such as sports and fine arts.
As a state-authorized charter school, KTEC High School will receive the standard per-pupil funding from the state. In addition, the school has already received a $900,000 planning grant from the state, and a $750,000 grant spread over three years for operational expenses.
There's no tuition.
At the moment, KTEC K-8 principal Angela Andersson is leading the planning process for the new school, even though her full-time position is covered by a KUSD paycheck. Fegley does not see a conflict. "She spends her own time working on this," Fegley said. "It's very segregated from her employment."
More information is available on KTEC High School's website.
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