Burgum signs bill providing funds for construction of CTE centers

BISMARCK, N.D. (KUMV) - School districts waiting for federal funding for building new career and technical education centers can now move forward.

Last week, Governor Doug Burgum signed House Bill 1199, which will provide more than $68 million from the Bank of North Dakota towards 13 career academy projects. The funding gives officials assurance that they can start construction while they wait for federal funding to be released.

“It’s a great relief that these projects can finally start moving forward, or for those that did take the chance and got started on their own, they can have a sense of security that those funds can start coming back into them,” said Wayde Sick, director of the State Department of Career and Technical Education.

Wayde Sick added that he feels confident that the federal funds will be released, which will be given back to the Bank of North Dakota.

Of those 13 facilities, three are expected to be open in some capacity this year: The Bakken Area Skills Center in Watford City, The Southwest Area Career and Technical Academy in Dickinson and the Minot Area Workforce Academy. The rest are expected to open by 2025.

Sick said he is still working with the legislature for additional funding to cover the inflationary cost of construction for these facilities.