Visit with Darry Stacy
In Oklahoma, CTE is funded by Ad Valorem taxes. Our funding model allows for a dynamic revenue stream. It is dynamic in that when our county grows with the cities within its borders, more revenue is generated. With that increase due to growth, it provides a built-in mechanism for us to be able to grow as well. This growth is necessary to stay in some sort of parity with changes in technology and the workplace. I recently met with Darry Stacy. He is the Cleveland County Oklahoma District 2 Commissioner. Darry is an avid supporter of our technology center as well as CTE overall. Darry is a retired Norman Oklahoma police Captain. His 22 years on the force coupled with his duties as the Norman Public Schools Board President earn him the qualifications to lead our district. My time with Commissioner Stacy was relaxed, informal, and very frank. I will say I am well pleased with his demeanor and professionalism that was coupled with good ole Oklahoma country charm.
As we discussed CTE and its impact on the economy, Stacy reiterated the need for CTE programs. He asserted that not all kids will go to college. But he also added for those not going to college, CTE was the option that provided high quality education and pathways to skilled trades. Stacy said his view was CTE needed to focus more narrowly on the trajectory of our students and be less broad. I took this to mean not all programs CTE offers have the economic impact required to continue to offer them. Aggressive training that can keep pace with the speed of technology and business is where the conversation went. The commissioner also told me in his view, present CTE has evolved by generations from the humble beginnings as “Vo-Tech.” Yes, I said it, and so did he.
Vo-Tech continues to be a stigma that tends to give ammunition to those who will not advocate for CTE, to minimize what we do. And while I was not shocked to hear it from him as a person, he also told me he thinks the general public also holds this perception. Nearly 20 years after then Gov. Keating signed the bill officially changing the name, perceptions of CTE being “Vo-Tech” still exist. Stacy also offered a view that was candid and certainly constructive. He said Oklahoma CareerTech is the “best kept secret.” And while that phrase offers accolades as to the quality of our students, it also unveils with it something that is not welcome. CTE does not need to be any kind of secret. It needs to roll off the tongue as easily as “college” does. It needs to be seen as an equal and technically advanced option within the basket of educational solutions. Stacy said that in Oklahoma, CareerTech has a “marketing issue.” His view in Oklahoma is the name “CareerTech” never really caught on. He offered the solution to improve and perhaps improve by orders of magnitude is a statewide top to bottom marketing campaign to get the message out.
As a new CTE instructor and a product of CTE in Missouri, I believe what we offer is nothing less than excellence. I am a gearhead (I like hot rods and anything that makes horsepower and noise). As a gearhead, I am not a big advocate of putting mufflers on my engines. It tends to make them restrictive, quiet, and people that can appreciate the work that went into an engine that sounds like it could launch the space shuttle cannot hear it. Mufflers also deprive the engine of performance. I also like the “bang for my buck” factor. My time with Commissioner Stacy was eye opening, candid, humorous and productive. His advocacy of CTE remains unwavering. He asserts our system provides high-quality options to people. He loves our dedication to our students and the way we execute our mission. Stacy had nothing but wonderful things to say about our Superintendent Jane Bowen and our Deputy Superintendent Jeanette Capshaw. His work on the Norman Public School Board forged a friendship he characterized as “dear.” I cannot think of a better compliment than to be considered a dear friend.
Now our mission, should we choose to accept it…….Shout from the highest peaks with our loud authoritarian and centurion voices for the masses to hear—WE ARE CTE, and WE are training the next generation of highly skilled, highly trained individuals to take us into an unwritten future. Our responsibility is massive, our task is daunting. But WE ARE CTE, and we create success. Join us.
Tommy Hamilton
2017 ACTE Business Education Division Fellow
Moore Norman Technology Center
Norman, OK