The upcoming November election will decide important leadership decisions for our nation, state and community. Besides voting for leadership candidates and propositions on the elections ballot, voters who live in the Ray Unified School District will also have the opportunity
District’s participation in a joint educational district or JTED.
There are currently 14 JTEDs in the state that operate independently and assist members school districts in improving CTE/Vocational programs in their schools. If voters approve the decision to join, Ray students will have an opportunity to join the Cobre Valley Institute of Technology JTED, known as CVIT. CVIT is comprised of five other area schools,Superior, Miami, Globe, San Carlos and Hayden-Winkelman. These schools have been members of CVIT for a number of years and have provided students in their district’s with the opportunity to participate in a variety of technical programs such as Construction Technology, Culinary Arts, Welding, Cosmetology, Fire Science, Nursing and Medical Assistant, Information Technology and Graphic Design to name a few. Programs are taught at various CVIT learning sites in the Copper Corridor and are supported by community partnerships and Gila Community College in Globe Districts are also permitted to have Career and Technical Courses (CTE) on their own Campus during the year and operate them as satellite programs. These programs are approved by the Arizona Department of Education and are open to all high school students. Students who attend vocational classes can become certified in technical courses over a two – three year period. Currently, the Ray School District offers CTE courses in Cabinet Making, Welding and Webpage Design.
Arizona JTED programs, including CVIT, are funded from two sources: state appropriations and secondary property taxes from voters residing in the local school district. The approval of the measure would mean a small tax rate increase of $5.00 per year for a single family home with a full cash value of one hundred thousand dollars. By joining, the CVIT JTED, the state would also allow RUSD to receive significant additional funding to purchase equipment and supplies for existing programs and to finance new programs.
Through JTED programs, students will learn valuable skills required to compete in today’s job market. CTE courses can be the catalyst for immediate employment after high school and can also be a “stepping stone” to other college or university programs.