ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — Progress is happening for Ector County ISD's nearly $400 million bond that was passed last November. At their May Board of Trustees workshop meeting, they officially signed the deed for a 37.9-acre land donation from Grow Odessa to become the site of a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center.
"In November of 2023, the voters in ECISD in Ector County approved a $424,000,000 bond referendum," said Ector County ISD Superintendent Dr. Scott Muri. "That bond referendum included the construction of a brand new career and technical education facility. When the individuals from Grow Odessa saw that as a part of the bond, they generously realized that they had a piece of property that would make sense for us to build."
At the start of 2024, the school district created a CTE committee to focus on the new design and the curriculum.
"They've been meeting with our architects and engineers since January working on that piece," Dr. Muri said. "They’ve come to a point now in which they've made some specific recommendations as to the type of programming that they feel should be in there."
The pathways selected heavily reflect the job market in the Permian Basin, like energy production and engineering. However, future students will be spoiled for choice in what they can learn at the new school.
"We have other programming opportunities such as auto mechanics, auto tech folks, culinary arts, a variety of things that will be housed in that facility as well," Dr. Muri said.
The facility is being built in collaboration with Odessa College, so it will bring opportunities to ECISD students and adults alike.
"They will provide some dual credit courses for students in there. And then in the evenings and on weekends that facility will be open for Odessa College to provide courses for upskilling and reskilling for the adults that live within the greater Permian Basin," Dr. Muri said.
The goal for the new CTE Center is to design a specialized space that will give students future proof opportunities.
Construction is set to begin during the 2025-2026 school year.
To view a recap of the workshop agenda, click here.