Sen. Moore, Legislators Urge Baker to Help Fund Blackstone Valley Tech Expansion

Friday, April 05, 2019

GoLocalProv News Team

Senator Michael Moore

Massachusetts State Senator Michael Moore and a group of Blackstone Valley legislators are urging Governor Charlie Baker to release $4 million in funding to support the expansion of Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School.

“As the economy in the Heart of the Commonwealth continues to grow, the influx of new employers and job opportunities into our region means we must be prepared to support a strong, skilled workforce that meets the needs of the labor market. It’s counterintuitive to invest in expanded economic development initiatives in the region while simultaneously limiting access to educational opportunities to support these high-demand employment areas,” said Moore.

The funding was authorized as part of a bond bill passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Baker last year.

The Funding

The funding would enable BVT to maximize capacity in existing career technical programs by adding academic classrooms needed to complement available space in vocational-technical shops.

“Blackstone Regional Vocational Technical High School District, with its documented return on investment, annually earns unanimous support of its thirteen member communities for its operational budget. However, limited revenues of its municipalities do not allow or provide capital funding. The school district aggressively pursues competitive grants and donations and even self-funds roof repair projects, and Valley Tech has been recognized by the Massachusetts School Building Authority for its cost-effective approaches,” said BVT Superintendent-Director Michael Fitzpatrick.

In addition to addressing waitlist issues, the building expansion would also allow for the addition of two new vocational programs.