Dr. Philip Cleveland, right, state superintendent for the Division of Career and Technical Education/Workforce Development, talks Feb. 27 with Dan Williams, industrial systems and maintenance instructor, during a tour of the Limestone County Career Technical Center.

Because Limestone County has the largest career tech program in the state, it’s understandable why officials would be on edge about an announcement Friday that the state Career Technical Education Department would be abolished.

The state Department of Education and Superintendent Michael Sentance announced Friday a plan to move the Career and Technical Education program under academic affairs. The announcement apparently coincided with an announcement regarding the resignation of Dr. Philip Cleveland, deputy state superintendent for the Division of Career and Technical Education/Workforce Development.

Cleveland’s last official day will be July 3. When asked if the reorganization led to Cleveland’s departure, an ALSDE official said the reasons were best known to Cleveland, but “he advised us he was pursuing other opportunities.” The official also stated the department is actively seeking candidates to fill Cleveland’s position.

The reorganization announcement came just four days after Cleveland toured the Limestone County Career Technical Center as part of an ongoing statewide tour of technical educational facilities. He praised Limestone’s CTC, which now educates about 900 students.

Dr. Tom Sisk, superintendent of Limestone County Schools, was in New Orleans at The School Superintendents Association’s National Conference on Education when the state made the reorganization announcement. He said this week he plans to find out what the restructuring would mean to the local program.

“I’m choosing to proceed cautiously and optimistically and hope there will be no negative impact,” he said. “I’m going to take a wait-and-see attitude.”

Sisk said there are “large numbers” of students who need technical education programs to “get a leg up in life.”

“I am fully prepared to be an advocate for those kids and those programs,” he said.

The announcement from the state Department of Education said there has never been a plot to diminish the state’s CTE program in any way or less the work of CTE staff or its workforce partners.

“Our intent is to strengthen, ensure relevance, and reinforce Alabama’s CTE program,” the announcement said. “Any suggestion opposing that goal misstates the spirit of our actions and undermines the ultimate objective of providing all Alabama students with a quality education that prepares them for life after high school.”

An elected superintendent?

The reorganization announcement did not sit well with some lawmakers, including Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview. He planned to introduce a bill this week that would make state superintendent an elected position.

Shedd told The Cullman Times he was dismayed by Sentance’s decision to make changes to CTE programs without consulting the state board of education. He was also concerned by Cleveland’s decision to resign.

“It is troubling to see such a success story as Dr. Cleveland leave his post,” Shedd said. “It is even more troubling to learn of a non-transparent plan to bury career tech and workforce development four levels deep in bureaucracy instead of having a meaningful seat at the table.”

— Cullman Times Editor David Palmer contributed to this report.